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Colombia 3 acquitted of trumped up charges By Susanne Kelly
Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley were found guilty of traveling on false passports. They were acquitted of the much more serious charges of training the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP). The men, known around the world as the Colombia 3, were arrested at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá in August 2001. They were held for six months without charges, in constant fear for their lives. Their trial, which finally began in October 2002, was stopped and started seven times before it concluded in August 2003. They have been held in six different prisons in varying degrees of danger and mistreatment. Connolly, Monaghan and McCauley said they were in Colombia to observe the peace process then under way, like many other international visitors. In the single statement that each man made during the trial, they singled out the U.S. and British embassies in Bogotá for special criticism, accusing them of spreading misinformation about them. The Irish activists said that their possession of passports with assumed identities reflected only a desire to travel unhindered. Under Colombian law this is a minor offense--usually punishable only by deportation. The men have lived in horrific conditions and without basic human rights while jailed. Among the injustices: denial of access to witnesses; threats not only to themselves but to their lawyers, families and supporters; unfair procedures; and degrading and inhumane treatment. These conditions were confirmed by a delegation of international observers who attended the court proceedings. The observers included lawyers, elected officials and human-rights activists from Ireland, the United States and Australia. They reported serious inconsistencies in the prosecution's case, flaws in the forensic evidence used against the Colombia 3, interference by senior military and political figures, media manipulation and fabricated evidence. A key prosecution witness testified that the Irish activists trained FARC members, but gave conflicting answers about dates and types of training. The prosecution claimed it had satellite photos, videotape and a written contract between FARC and the three men. But none of these items was ever produced. Officials from the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá stepped in quickly to take forensic evidence and claimed to the media that there was evidence the men had handled explosives and drugs. This evidence was completely refuted by an expert and by tests. So why this farce? The "trial" was part of the U.S., British and Colombian governments' strategy to accomplish their repres sive goals. It was an attempt to link the Irish Republican Army and the FARC and label them as "terrorists"--when in reality it is U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe who are the terrorists. In Britain, political, military and intelligence forces used the trial to attempt to discredit Sinn Fein and undermine the Irish peace process. Sinn Fein is the biggest political party in Ireland, representing those who want the British out of the Six Counties of northeast Ireland. Niall Connolly, in his statement to the court, said, "Our arrests and the mass disinformation and false stories have been used to damage and undermine the Irish peace process." Meanwhile, the Bush administration used the Colombia 3 trial to push Congress to pour more money into Plan Colombia--and to throw more support to right-wing Colombian President Uribe and his murderous policies. Uribe used the trial to create a huge media blitz as part of the ongoing political and military attack on the FARC and other popular movements. Colombia's former attorney general confirmed that the case was politically motivated, that the Colombian military used it to get more resources from the United States and the British to suppress the movement. What happens now? The men face fines of $6,000 each and jail sentences from 26 to 44 months on the false passport conviction. The Irish government has offered to loan the money for the fines if the men are released now. Colombian authorities say they are planning to appeal the acquittal on the more serious charges. Connolly, Monaghan and McCauley are now in La Modelo jail in Bogotá, reputed to be one of the most dangerous jails in the world. Family members and supporters still worry about their safety. The "Bring Them Home" campaign that worked for their release, along with the Irish government and defense lawyers, have requested security for the Colombia 3 and two of their supporters. Catriona Ruane is one of the leaders of the "Bring Them Home" campaign. After the verdict, Ruane said: "There is no safe place for these men in Colombia. We will be telling the Colombian authorities that we want the men home now and to stop playing games with all our lives." |
Three
Irish activists who spent 32 months in Colombian jails were acquitted
on April 26 of trumped-up charges of terrorism. But it is not clear
when they will be allowed to return home to Ireland.