Govt pays 'bail' for Columbia 3

[pete]

"The Government is to pay €17,000 to secure the freedom of three Irishmen cleared of training FARC rebel guerillas in Colombia."

De Paper

So the guys travel on false IRISH passports & get the government to essentially bail them out.

[Plastic Paddy]

"The Government is to pay €17,000 to secure the freedom of three Irishmen cleared of training FARC rebel guerillas in Colombia."

De Paper

So the guys travel on false IRISH passports & get the government to essentially bail them out.

I thought that all three were Irish, non?

PP

[max power]

do travel as an Irish citizen you must hold a VALID Irish passport........

[Plastic Paddy]

do travel as an Irish citizen you must hold a VALID Irish passport........

aaah... I see the nub of the argument now. Where does it say that their papers were false though?

PP

[Schumi]

Where does it say that their papers were false though?

In the Columbian judgement, they were done for travelling on fake papers but got off on the training terrorists charge.

[Plastic Paddy]

In the Columbian judgement, they were done for travelling on fake papers but got off on the training terrorists charge.

aaah... thanks!

(Memo to self: read stories properly before asking everyone daft questions. )

PP

[brendy_éire]

It's a loan, not a payment. Good move by the Government. Get them back here as soon as possible. They're Irish citizens, and apparently right-wing paramilitaries are out for their blood. Bring them home now.

[pete]

I don't understand why the government should step in with a loan. Why can't their political friends help them out? AFAIK the state has already helped them out in Columbia so they've done their bit similar to Malaysian (think might eb more appropriate for Indonesia though) example.

BTW anyone know if travelling under a false Irish passport is a prosecutable offense in this country?

Obviously Columbia got some less than unbiased judiciary but there ain't no way "the 3" were tourists or even giving "peace negotiation" courses.

[Duncan Gardner]

They're Irish citizens, and apparently right-wing paramilitaries are out for their blood. Bring them home now.

Aye, they won't be running into any right-wing paramilitaries over here, will they?

[Greenbod]

If Dodge had his way, Jason McAteer and a few others would be done for travelling with "false" Irish papers

[Metrostars]

BTW anyone know if travelling under a false Irish passport is a prosecutable offense in this country?

I think being held for 2 and a half years already should make up for that.

[lopez]

By comparison the loyalist ones here make their S.American counterparts look like'pinko commies'.......

Perhaps, but they're too busy sorting out their own 'house' to bother with these three muppetts.

[Peterc]

Another example of the arrogance of this Government, wasting taxpayers money on these convicted criminals