RTE report Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Irish Times calling for calm, clear-headed consideration and debate on the issue of the extradition of three men found guilty of training FARC rebels[subs req] in Colombia, meanwhile the BBC has other opinions.. and the Irish Times, along with a barrister’s opinion – “Process of extradition is fraught with numerous legal difficulties” – has a statement from a representative of the chairman of the US Congress International Relations Committee, Congressman Henry Hyde –
“We hope the Irish Government honours its agreements and carries out the Interpol warrant for these three Irishmen who are wanted on serious charges by the Colombian government after conviction for helping to facilitate the training of narco-terrorists in our own hemisphere.”
From the Irish Times report
Speaking on behalf of committee chairman Congressman Henry Hyde, he said the US hoped the Government had not made a deal with the IRA as the issue “had nothing to do with Northern Ireland” and related to the drug war in the neighbourhood of the US.
More of the statement by the representative of Congressman Hyde –
“The US takes this issue very seriously. We hope the Irish Government honours its agreements and carries out the Interpol warrant for these three Irishmen who are wanted on serious charges by the Colombian government after conviction for helping to facilitate the training of narco-terrorists in our own hemisphere.”
Also worth listening to Suzanne Breen on BBC radio’s Talkback programme.. on what she describes as the charade around the apparent indecision of Government in regard to the extradition – available online here. [RealPlayer sound file]