Supporters of three Irish men held in Colombia on charges of training Farc rebels are to stage a protest outside Leinster House at the visit of the country's vice-president in Dublin today .
Vice President Francisco Santos will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and members of the Dáil Foreign Affairs Committee as part of a programme events during Ireland's EU presidency.
Mr Santos will also meet a team of international observers who travelled to Colombia for trial of Mr Niall Connolly, Mr Martin McCauley and Mr Jim Monaghan last year. The trial ended in early August, but the judge has not issued a judgement as yet.
The three men have been in jail in Colombia since August 2001. They stood trial on charges of training Farc guerrillas in IRA bomb-making techniques and of using false passports. They have denied the charges, which carry a sentence of up to 28 years.
Ms Caitríona Ruane of the Bring Them Home Campaign said they would would be "informing the vice-president that Colombia is in breach of Colombian and International law in relation to the rights of the three men. The protest will take place at 12.30 p.m.
"It is obvious to everyone who observed the trial that the case against the men was a total and utter fabrication and that military witnesses perjured themselves on the stand.
"We are calling on Minister Brian Cowen, to publicly stand up for these Irish citizens rights; he has been too timid and has failed to protect the rights of these three Irish citizens," she added.
