COLOMBIA WANTS IRISH THREE BACK

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007727

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2015
TAGS: KJUS PTER PREL EI CO UN FARC
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA WANTS IRISH THREE BACK

REF: DUBLIN 983

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood; reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Colombian Foreign Ministry officials say
they are in the process of requesting that Ireland extradite
three Irish citizens convicted of aiding Colombia's
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.
GOC officials have stressed that, although Ireland does not
have an extradition agreement in force with Colombia, Ireland
should return the three as a part of its responsibility to
the global war on terror. End summary.


2. (C) As of August 5, James Monaghan, Niall Connolly, and
Martin McCauley, three Irish citizens charged with entering
Colombia with false documents and training the Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, had returned to
Ireland. Colombian officials reacted with surprise and
dismay upon learning that the so-called "Irish three" had
returned undetected (reftel). In particular, local press
questioned the Department of Administrative Security, an FBI
equivalent, about how the three had managed to leave while
under court orders to remain in Colombia. Last December, the
men were sentenced to 17 years in prison for training the
FARC in guerrilla warfare tactics during 2001. They were
awaiting the result of their appeal when they fled. Although
Colombia plans to request extradition, the GOC has not yet
filed the paperwork.


3. Over the last week, Colombian officials have spoken out
about the escape and urged Ireland to return the men. Vice
President Francisco Santos initially told the Colombian media
that the three should be extradited, but has not ruled out
the possibility of them serving time in Ireland. On August 7
he said, "PM Ahern should show his commitment to the global
war on terror."


4. (U) While on an official visit to Guatemala on August 9,
Foreign Minister Carolina Barco told press that Colombia was
petitioning the Irish police to return the three on the basis
of their Interpol arrest warrant. Colombia's newly-selected
Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran acknowledged that Colombia
does not have an extradition treaty with Ireland, but
asserted that the legal means were in place to bring the
three back. As ranking Colombian cabinet members underscored
their preference for the Irish Three's immediate extradition,
leading daily "El Tiempo" was less optimistic; its August 10
headline predicted that extradition would not go through
anytime soon.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: We read Security Council resolution 1373,
adopted under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter and voted
unanimously when the Irish were on the Council, as precluding
the provision of safe haven and obliging all UN member states
to "afford one another the greatest amount of assistance in
connection with criminal investigations or criminal
proceedings relating to the financing or support of terrorist
acts." End comment.
WOOD