The Northern Ireland peace process was plunged into crisis and the political and security system south of the Border appeared to be in disarray over the secret return of the so-called "Colombia Three" to Ireland this week.
It emerged last night that the Garda did not know the men - James Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly - were back in the country until the news broke in the media at 5pm yesterday.
The normal official outlets had little or nothing to offer by way of comment about the shock news. It is understood the men arrived back in the early part of the week and are now at an undisclosed location with their families.
However, in an interview with RTÉ, James Monaghan denied he was "on the run" and said he was willing to talk to the Garda at any time. Last night, gardaí questioned RTÉ reporter Charlie Bird, who conducted the interview.
Acting as Minister for Justice in the absence of Michael McDowell, who is on holiday, Tánaiste Mary Harney said there were very serious issues as to how the men were able to return to this country, particularly as they had been travelling on fraudulent passports.
In its statement issued through the Northern Ireland Office, the British government said: "We have only just become aware of the presence of these men in the Republic of Ireland. That is a matter for the Irish authorities. If they enter the UK an extradition request will be dealt with without delay."
One of the three men, Niall Connolly, was convicted in the Colombian courts of using a false Irish passport, whereas the other two were using false British ones. But Sinn Féin MLA Caitríona Ruane told a news conference that she did not believe Mr Connolly could be tried again in Ireland for the same offence.
The news also came as a major surprise to the Colombian authorities. There was no official comment, apparently due in part to the fact that President Uribe and Vice-President Santos were both travelling and unavailable for comment.
There is no extradition treaty between Ireland and Colombia but official Colombian government sources pointed out last night that there was an Interpol arrest warrant out for the trio.
However, the existence of an Interpol warrant is no guarantee that any attempt to bring the men back to Colombia to serve their 17½-year sentences would be successful, particularly in the absence of any extradition treaty.
Ms Ruane, who has been the leading campaigner for the men's return as spokeswoman for the Bring Them Home Campaign, pointed out the men were originally found innocent on the main charge of training the Farc guerrillas and that the judge in the case had ordered two prosecution witnesses to be investigated for perjury.
Speaking outside the Sinn Féin offices in Dublin's Parnell Square, Ms Ruane said she had met all three since their return to Ireland but she did not know where they were now, although they had been reunited with their families.
The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny demanded an immediate statement from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice and called on them "to clarify whether this issue was part of the negotiations between the Government and Sinn Féin".
However, a Government spokesman said the return of the men was "not part of the discussions with Sinn Féin". The Government "had no prior knowledge" of their return.
Apart from the Interpol arrest warrant, there does not appear to be any other immediate grounds for security action against the men over their activities in Colombia now that they have returned.
The Northern Ireland Office also said the men's return was not part of any arrangement or deal done.
There was an angry reaction from unionists with DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson quoting President Bush's words that whoever harboured a terrorist was a terrorist himself. Mr Robinson asked where the Taoiseach stood in this regard.
"If Bertie Ahern fails to hand these men over, then in President Bush's and our terms, he is a terrorist collaborator. We demand the clearest statement from our own prime minister that if these fugitives put one foot in Northern Ireland they will be arrested pending extradition proceedings and if the Colombian authorities seek extradition, it will be granted."
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was emphatic in denying their arrival had anything to do with the his party's contact with the Government following the IRA declaration it had formally ended its campaign last week.
