From: "Stasi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Peoples War] Ire/Col: Fourth 'IRA member' arrested in Colombia in anti-rebel offensive - Independent (UK) Fourth 'IRA member' arrested in Colombia in anti-rebel offensive =========================================== By Kim Sengupta and Jan McGirk, Latin America Correspondent 25 August 2001 - The Independent (UK) A fourth member of the IRA was reported to have been arrested in Colombia during fighting between the army and left-wing rebels. The Colombian army, which has launched a US-backed offensive against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), said it had arrested the suspect in Huila province. An army spokesman said: "There are reasons to believe the man, who is Irish, is a member of the IRA. We are investigating the situation." General Jorge Enrique Mora, Colombia's army chief, said soldiers stopped an unidentified Irish citizen at a checkpoint in Balsilla, on the edge of rebel territory known as "Farclandia". Though nothing specifically links the 48-year-old man to the three alleged IRA officers arrested a fortnight ago after visiting the zone, he said the man would be held until they could verify his story that he was teaching villagers English. The army is investigating possible links to the IRA, while immigration officers are checking his visa status. His previous stops include Venezuela, Panama, and Nicaragua - places where illicit arms are available and cash can be laundered. The three alleged IRA members - Martin McCauley, Jim Monaghan and Niall Connolly - were arrested on suspicion of training Farc guerrillas in making bombs and using weaponry. They are now held at a high- security jail in Bogota, facing a 20-year sentence if convicted. Colombia's intelligence service contacted the British embassy after the first arrests but there was no active British role, a security source said. Sinn Fein denied the three were members. The party chairman, Mitchell McLaughlin, yesterday rejected Ulster Unionist and SDLP demands for a statement. Miguel Marulanda, Farc's leader, has admitted that the three suspected republicans held in La Modelo prison did visit his guerrillas' safe haven. But he accused the Colombian military of trying to sabotage peace talks between Farc and President Andres Pastrana by framing these "tourists". _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
