Major Questions over Republicans' Role in Colombia Remain Unanswered

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 27th Apr 2004

Alliance Party Justice Spokesperson, Stephen Farry, has responded to the decision of the Colombian Courts to clear three Republicans on charges of training the FARC in explosives but to convict on charges of travelling on false documentation.

Stephen Farry stated:

"Obviously, one must accept the verdict of the Colombian Courts with respect to the charges of training the FARC in the use of explosives.

"However, the three men in question were convicted of travelling on false documents. Major questions still remain as to what these three prominent Republicans were doing in Colombia in such circumstances.

"Given the continued terrorist activities of the FARC, alongside the actions of right wing paramilitaries and Government forces too, one wonders if the self-anointed 'human rights campaigners' will now give some consideration to the many innocent Colombian civilians, who are suffering, from the greatest human rights abuse of all - loss of life."