Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams tonight called for the release of three Irishmen imprisoned by Colombian authorities after a meeting with senior Cuban government officials.
The West Belfast MP, who met Mr Jose R Dalaguer Cabrera - one of President Fidel Castro's closest aides in the Communist Party in Havana - confirmed he had raised the arrests in Colombia in August of Mr Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley.
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Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (R) is greeted by Oscar Martinez (L), of Cuba's ruling Communist Party, as he arrives in Havana. Photograph: Reuters
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Adams urges release of Colombia three Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams tonight called for the release of three Irishmen imprisoned by Colombian authorities after a meeting with senior Cuban government officials.
The West Belfast MP, who met Mr Jose R Dalaguer Cabrera - one of President Fidel Castro's closest aides in the Communist Party in Havana - confirmed he had raised the arrests in Colombia in August of Mr Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley.
The three men were arrested by the Colombian authorities for travelling on false passports and training members of the left-wing FARC militia.
It later emerged that Mr Connolly had been acting as Sinn Féin’s representative in Cuba.
Mr Adams said today: "We raised, I raised, the issue of the three Irishmen in prison in Colombia, and our view that they should be released."
He said that the Cubans did not make any statement on the arrests of the men.
"It wasn't really a matter for them speaking out.
"It was me raising the issue, as I have in support of the prisoners' families."
The arrest of the three men had threatened to overshadow the Sinn Féin leader's visit. Sinn Féin came under pressure over the arrests, with allies in the US demanding an explanation.
A campaign in support of the three men has since been launched in Ireland attracting the support of former Beirut hostage Mr Brian Keenan, folksinger Christy Moore and several politicians including Irish Green Party MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna.
Supporters of the three men, known as the Colombia Three have accused the South American country of holding the prisoners in inhumane conditions, violating basic human rights and contravening international law.
They have also condemned "adverse and inaccurate" press coverage of the three men's arrests, arguing that it had undermined the trio's right to a fair trial.
A question in English about when he was meeting President Fidel Castro was met with a short response: "Possibly tomorrow".
PA