Columbian Three: What is Dublin playing at? asks MEP
21 February 2006
DUP Member of the European Parliament, Jim Allister QC has demanded action from the Irish government over the Colombian Three after the three convicted terrorist fugitives were seen flaunting themselves at the Sinn Fein/IRA Ard Fheis, held in Dublin at the weekend. The DUP MEP, who has raised Dublin’s refusal to act against the terrorists on the floor of the European Parliament has called upon Justice Minister Michael McDowell to make good Dublin’s international obligations to have the three men returned to Colombia. Jim Allister said,
“Ireland is a member-state of the European Union and as such has a legal and moral responsibility to act against terrorism and those who perpetrate it. In any normal democratic society these men would be returned to Colombia to serve out their sentences and yet the same three individuals were seen at the recent Sinn Fein/IRA gathering in Dublin moving freely. The Irish government has had six months to chart a course of action dealing with these men and yet no action has been taken. This perverse situation begs the question: just what is Dublin playing at?
The FARC is one of the most vicious terrorist organisations operating in South America: they are the bed-fellows of the Provisional IRA and have used the training provided to them by Monaghan, Connolly and McAuley to devastating effect in Colombia. That the Dublin authorities have done nothing to apprehend them is a damning indictment of the legal process in that country. In the past the Irish Republic was quite rightly derided for acting as a safe-haven for Provo fugitives from British justice, now true to form they are harbouring these gangsters.
The time for action has long since passed. If Dublin is to be taken seriously on the international stage these fugitives must be apprehended and returned to Colombia. I call upon the Justice Minister to ensure this is done at the earliest possible juncture.”
