An Irish diplomat has been giving evidence at the trial of three alleged IRA men in Colombia.
Sheila Maguire, the first secretary of the Irish embassy in Mexico, said she had met with one of the accused, Niall Connolly, in Cuba on St Patrick’s Day in 2001. She was giving her testimony in the Colombian capital Bogota on Thursday on behalf of the defence. The prosecution allege Niall Connolly was seen with James Monaghan and Martin McCauley training left wing FARC rebels in Colombia on that day. The men have refused to attend the court, saying they do not recognise the legitimacy of the Colombian judicial system and that the conditions for a fair trial do not exist. Full Story
