RUC aids Colombian investigation

The men could face 16 years in jail if convicted

Two RUC officers have travelled to Colombia to support an investigation into three IRA suspects accused of training Marxist rebels.

Niall Connolly, 36 Martin McCauley, 38, and James Monaghan who is in his early 50s were arrested in Bogota earlier this month.

They are accused of training rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to make bombs and other weapons, which carries a 16-year sentence.

Under the Colombian legal system, prosecutors have 240 days to prepare the case before going to trial.

The men have also been charged with carrying false passports, to which they have already confessed and could be sentenced almost immediately.

Protected

On Wednesday, a police spokeswoman confirmed two RUC officers were in Bogota "supporting an investigation being carried out by the authorities there".

The men are being held at the maximum security La Modelo prison which will be their home for the next eight months until they go to trial.

The family of one of the men has asked the Irish Foreign Minister, Brian Cowen, to ensure that their lives are protected in prison.

Two of the men are from the Republic of Ireland and one is from Northern Ireland.