The trial of three Irishmen in Colombia has been suspended until early next year because two key prosecution witnesses failed to turn up in a Bogota court today.
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Mr Niall Connolly, Mr James Monaghan, and Mr Martin McCauley
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The two, who are defectors from the Marxist rebel group FARC, were due to give evidence on the second day of the trial of Mr James Monaghan (56), Mr Martin McCauley (40) and Mr Niall Connolly (36).
But the judge suspended the trial until February 5th, because the two failed to show.
The three Irishmen are charged with training the rebels in explosives techniques. They were arrested in the Bogota's El Dorado Airport on August 11th, 2001, allegedly carrying false passports. The men deny the charges and insist they will not get a fair trial.
In a statement read to the court today, one of the prosecution witnesses said he feared for his life. The other, who is in a witness protection scheme, could not be located by authorities.
The three men's defence team has said the two should not be called to give evidence again. However they are now due to give their evidence in February.
The three Irishmen refused to appear as the court began its first hearing of evidence in Bogota yesterday.
During the proceedings, a major in the military intelligence branch of the Colombian army told the court that instructions on making gas-cylinder bombs similar to those first used by the IRA in Northern Ireland were found in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) enclave during military operations.
"On his own, a guerrilla didn't have the capacity to acquire this technology," Maj Carlos Matias told the Bogota court, describing recent advances the rebels have made in bomb-making techniques. "It had to have come from somewhere".
He did not have any direct knowledge of the three Irishmen, however, he admitted. This phase of the trial is scheduled to last for another three days.
Former Sinn Féin publicity director Mr Danny Morrison and former Long Kesh hunger-striker Dr Laurence McKeown have travelled from Northern Ireland to give evidence in the trail.
The First Secretary of the Irish Embassy in Mexico, Ms Sile Maguire, and Mr Ros O'Sullivan, an international relief and development worker, are also due to testify.
A number of members of the Oireachtas are in Colombia to observe the trial. They are Fine Gael Senator Paul Bradford, Senator Mary White from Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin's Mr Sean Crowe TD and Independent TD, Mr Finian McGrath. Also in attendance were Mr Paul Hill, one of the Guildford Four, and Ms Catriona Ruane of the Bring Them Home campaign.