Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05DUBLIN983
2005-08-08 16:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dublin
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COLOMBIA THREE WITH GOI

Tags:  PREL KCRM PTER PGOV EI 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000983 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KCRM PTER PGOV EI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COLOMBIA THREE WITH GOI

REF: A. DALY-OPS CENTER PHONE CALL OF 8/5


B. O'MALLEY-YOUNG E-MAILS OF 8/8

Classified By: Ambassador James C. Kenny; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000983

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL KCRM PTER PGOV EI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COLOMBIA THREE WITH GOI

REF: A. DALY-OPS CENTER PHONE CALL OF 8/5


B. O'MALLEY-YOUNG E-MAILS OF 8/8

Classified By: Ambassador James C. Kenny; Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: The Irish Government had no prior knowledge
that the Colombia Three were in Ireland, nor had it discussed
the case with Sinn Fein in recent Northern Ireland peace
process-related exchanges, GOI officials told the Ambassador
on August 8. The officials noted that the case presented
legal complexities, as Ireland did not have an extradition
treaty with Colombia and did not recognize Interpol "red
notices" as a basis for arrest. The GOI wished to remain in
close communication with the USG on the Colombia Three, given
the ramifications for bilateral cooperation in the fight
against terrorism and in the Northern Ireland peace process.
End summary.


2. (C) The GOI had no prior knowledge that the Colombia
Three (Martin McCauley, Niall Connolly, and Jim Monaghan)
were in Ireland (ref A),nor had the GOI discussed the
Colombia Three in recent Northern Ireland peace
process-related exchanges with Sinn Fein, Michael Collins,
Second Secretary General in the Office of the Taoiseach
(Prime Minister),told Ambassador and Emboffs on August 8.
Collins said that Prime Minister Ahern had instructed him to
inform the Embassy, the UK Government, and the Colombian
Government that the GOI and Irish police did not know the
whereabouts of the Colombia Three and had not yet had contact
with them. The Colombian Government, moreover, had not yet
made an extradition request, but had sent two inquiries
through its Embassy in London regarding procedures for
requesting legal assistance. Collins noted that while
Ireland was determined to fulfill its international legal
obligations, there was no extradition treaty between Ireland
and Colombia. He added that if the three individuals had
broken Irish law, the case would be pursued through the
normal legal avenues, involving the courts and police. He
also remarked that Ireland enjoyed, and wished to maintain,
friendly relations with Colombia and that the GOI aimed to
establish ongoing contacts with the Colombian Government on

the case through the Irish Embassy in Mexico.

3 (C) The legal aspects of the case presented "great
complexities," observed Ken O'Leary, Assistant Secretary in
the Irish Department of Justice, who joined Collins in the
discussion. O'Leary pointed out that an Interpol "red
notice" had been issued for the Colombia Three, which
obligated Ireland to inform Colombia once the three
individuals were confirmed to be in Ireland. The GOI,
however, did not recognize the notice as a basis for arrest.
O'Leary also pointed out that there was no precedent in
Ireland for extraditing criminals to other countries in the
absence of an extradition treaty. He noted that Ireland had
in recent weeks become party to four UN conventions on
terrorism, which included provisions on extradition as a form
of legal assistance in terrorism-related cases. He expressed
doubt, though, that the provisions would come into play with
the Colombia Three. When the Ambassador asked whether the
three individuals could be prosecuted for entering Ireland
with fake passports, O'Leary said that this was a
possibility, but he did not know the fine/sentence for such
an offense. He added that the GOI did not expect the
whereabouts of the three individuals to be divulged by
Charlie Bird, the RTE television reporter who interviewed Jim
Monaghan on August 5; the GOI was confident, nonetheless,
that the three would not leave Ireland.


4. (C) Collins stressed that he had contacted the Embassy
because the GOI wished to remain in close communication with
the USG on the Colombia Three, given the ramifications for
bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He
said that (Northern Ireland) Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
Deputy Leader Peter Robinson's comments on August 5 to the
effect that the GOI might be harboring terrorists in the case
of the Colombia Three was an unhelpful instance of political
grandstanding. Collins asked that USG officials urge the DUP
not to use the case as an opportunity for political gain. He
added that the USG should tell Sinn Fein President Gerry
Adams that the Colombia Three should present themselves to
the police. Collins explained that the case had been harmful
to the peace process earlier in the decade, and he did not
want the case to ruin positive momentum in the process
achieved in recent weeks. He predicted that the IRA would
follow through on decommissioning by the end of the month,
partly in an attempt "to get back the microphone" after the
bad press associated with the Colombia Three's return.


5. (C) Comment: Collins expressed exasperation when the
Ambassador noted that Gerry Adams had called him on August 5
as details began to emerge about the Colombia Three. The
implication was that Sinn Fein did not similarly communicate
with the GOI as a heads-up on the news.
KENNY