Sinn Féin members have arrived in Bogota to campaign on behalf of the so-called Colombia Three who were each sentenced to 17 years in jail last week.
The Sinn Féin Assembly members, Mr Gerry Kelly and Ms Caitríona Ruane, who flew to the Colombian capital on Saturday, "have no idea" where the three men are now located, a party spokesman said yesterday.
Despite reports that variously suggested the three fugitives - Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan - could be in Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador, Sinn Féin, Colombian and Dublin officials said their whereabouts were not known. The three men received 17-year jail sentences on Thursday for training FARC guerrillas, having been cleared of the charge in April. They were released from prison in April pending Thursday's appeal court decision.
A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman said yesterday he was unaware of any tentative moves from the Colombian authorities to have the men extradited, should they return to Ireland.
There is no extradition agreement between Ireland and Colombia.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said yesterday that the legal aspects of any such extradition request would have to be considered by the Government.
"We don't have presently an extradition agreement with Colombia. We will have to look at the legal aspects that arise," said Mr Ahern.
"One of the three was carrying an Irish passport and there could be legal matters around that. They probably served their sentence on that.
"So I think all of the legal matters will have to be looked at," the Taoiseach said.
"Now there is the complication because they are not in the country and we have to look at the legal arguments around that. I think people felt the judge on the first hearing was a reasonably fair person," added Mr Ahern.
"Then you go on an appeal and you end up getting 17 years so on the face of it that looks very difficult," he said.
Irish officials are currently translating from Spanish into English the 144-page Colombian court judgment. The men's lawyers have not yet decided whether to appeal the 17-year sentences, which also included heavy fines.
Ms Ruane, of the Bring Them Home campaign, and Mr Kelly are due to consult lawyers in Bogota today.
The Irish ambassador in Mexico, Mr Art Agnew, and his officials will also consult the Colombian authorities this week, according to a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman.
Connolly (39) from Dublin, Monaghan (59) from Co Donegal, and McCauley (42) from Co Armagh, were required to report to the authorities weekly on their release in April but never did, said Colombian officials.
The men were arrested in Bogota's El Dorado airport in August 2001 and charged with training FARC guerrillas. They denied the charge, saying they were in a rebel-controlled area to monitor Colombia's failed peace process and that they were eco-tourists.
