The Minister for Justice has accused the Sinn Fein leadership of creating difficulties in the peace process following the return of the Colombia Three.
Michael McDowell, in his first public comments since the return of James Monaghan, Niall Connolly and Martin McCauley, also insisted the Government will not allow Ireland become a haven for criminals seeking to evade justice in other jurisdictions.
The three, who were arrested at Bogota airport in 2001, fled last December after being sentenced to 17 years in prison for training Farc rebels in terrorist techniques. They denied the claims, insisting they were only in the county to observe the peace process.
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| Minister for Justice Michael McDowell |
Mr McDowell said he believed the men's visit to Colombia was sanctioned at the highest level within the Provisional IRA. "As far as I am concerned it can only have been done, because it was so fraught with difficulty and risk, with the collusion of the top management of the Provisional movement, and I am talking now about the Army Council."
He also claimed their return to Ireland was orchestrated by Sinn Féin. It was no accident they arrived so soon after the IRA statement calling on its members to disarm, he said.
"I have no doubt it lies fairly and squarely with the leadership of Sinn Féin, which was until recently personally mixed together with the other members of Army Council, who sent them to Colombia in the first place."
There is currently no formal extradition treaty between Ireland and Colombia. However, Mr McDowell said today the Government would follow the "rule of law" in relation to the trio.
"The Irish state is based on democratic principles and the rule of law, and will not become a haven for people who are perceived internationally to have breached the rule of law and endangered the lives of others," he said.
"I think that I and most sensible people in Ireland reject as out of hand that those people were in Colombia to discuss the peace process."
Mr McDowell said he would have no qualms about extraditing the men, provided such a move was lawful under Irish legislation. "As far as I know, the Colombian government has not yet made any formal requirements for extradition and we are awaiting developments of that kind before we can act under extradition laws.
"There are a number of other possibilities ... and there is also the possibility that the commission of serious offences in Ireland may have taken place and I don't want at this stage to pre-empt where this issue is going."
The men presented themselves at three Dublin Garda stations last week by arrangement. Mr Connolly was the only one of the trio who was arrested. It is understood he is to be charged with using a false passport to re-enter Ireland. A file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions on the three.
Last night, the Colombian Vice President said his government would "not be satisfied" if the three men, whom he called "international terrorists", were prosecuted in Ireland only for passport offences.
"They did a lot of damage in Colombia," Mr Santos said. "We want them in Colombia. We want them to pay their jail term in Colombia."
Mr Santos also called for gardaí to investigate who helped the fugitives during the intervening eight months from their escape from Colombia until they resurfaced in Ireland on August 5th.
