COLOMBIA THREE: IRISH AND COLOMBIAN POLICE IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 001006 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KCRM EI SUBJECT: COLOMBIA THREE: IRISH AND COLOMBIAN POLICE IN COMMUNICATION REF: A. DUBLIN 983 ¶B. YOUNG-OPS CENTER E-MAILS OF 8/9 Classified By: Ambassador James C. Kenny; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) The Irish police (Garda) have sent a formal message to the Colombian police through Interpol regarding the Colombia Three (ref A),Emboff was told by Irish Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Ken O'Leary following an August 12 meeting attended by DOJ, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General's Office, and the Office of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister). The Garda message explained Ireland's legal framework for extradition and cited the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons as an instrument under which the Colombia Three could possibly serve in Ireland the sentences they received in Colombia. (This point reprised an August 9 statement by Deputy Prime Minister (Tanaiste) Mary Harney, who noted that Colombia could accede to the Convention, as had other South American countries (ref B).) Another instrument cited was the UN Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, to which Ireland and Colombia are parties, and which envisions extradition as a possible form of legal assistance regarding persons who assist in terrorist bombings. The Garda also requested certified translations of Colombian court judgments in the Colombia Three case and provided contact information for the Irish DOJ to facilitate direct communication with its Colombian counterpart agency. O'Leary noted that the Garda message followed an August 11 meeting in Bogota between the Colombian Government and the Irish Ambassador to Mexico (having responsibility for Colombia). ¶2. (C) O'Leary said that the Garda continued to search for the Colombia Three. One legal pretext for the search was the likelihood that the three had committed offenses by entering Ireland on false documents. Another was the Interpol "red notice" on the three individuals, which obligated the Garda to inform the Colombian police once the three were confirmed to be in Ireland. O'Leary observed that the Colombian Government had not yet requested extradition. ¶3. (C) DOJ Secretary General Sean Aylward reiterated O'Leary's points in a subsequent phone conversation with the Ambassador. Aylward stressed that the GOI wanted to show action regarding the Colombia Three. He expressed concern, however, that the legal considerations at play might drag out the case. Aylward added that Deputy Prime Minister (Tanaiste) Mary Harney, who had been acting Justice Minister, would go on leave on August 13. This would leave Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Bertie Ahern as acting Justice Minister until August 18. KENNY