House Committee Investigates IRA, Colombian Terrorist Ties
By Jeff Johnson
CNSNews.com Congressional Bureau Chief
April 24, 2002

(Correction: Fixes spelling of Colombia.)

Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - The arrest of three members of the Irish Republican Army in terrorist controlled areas of Colombia has led to a House International Relations Committee investigation into possible IRA ties with a Colombian terrorist group.

"What are members of the IRA doing in Colombia?" asked committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.). "Claims that these individuals were there for benign purposes - specifically, eco-tourism or for activities related to the Irish and Colombian peace processes - are an insult to our intelligence."

The individuals to whom Hyde referred are:

- Neil Conolly, Sinn Fein member, considered one of the IRA's best weapons builders;
- James Monaghen, head of the IRA's engineering department; and
- John Martin McCauley, second in command of the engineering department.

The three were arrested with false passports last August by Colombian authorities. Forensic tests reportedly found explosives residue on their clothing at the time of their capture. Two other IRA members were detained and released by investigators. Two additional Irish nationals believed to be in Colombia are still being sought.

Gerry Adams, president of the Sinn Fein political wing of the IRA declined to testify before the committee, but stated in a letter to Hyde that he had no knowledge of the activities alleged by Colombian officials.

"Let me state again to you that neither I, nor anyone else in the Sinn Fein leadership were aware that the three men were traveling to Colombia," Adams wrote.

But a report prepared by the committee details the testimony of a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) defector who claims he received explosives training from the three IRA members.

Rep. William Delahunt (D-Mass.) takes issue with the report.

"Unfortunately, we have been presented with a report short on facts and replete with speculation, surmise, and opinion; much of which, I would note, I disagree with," he said.

Even though the United States is not in direct possession of evidence confirming the IRA's involvement with FARC terrorists, Mark Wong, acting coordinator for counter-terrorism at the State Department, says circumstantial evidence is available.

"We, too, are concerned that the recent dramatic increase in FARC's explosives capabilities could be related to the presence of these three IRA members," he said.

Wong detailed a fairly recent development in the FARC campaign to protect its cocaine manufacturing and distribution operations.

Narco-terrorists detonate a small explosive device, designed to create a great deal of noise but minimal damage, causing a crowd to gather and authorities to respond. When several people have gathered and police explosives experts are examining the scene, the terrorists detonate a second, more powerful device, killing or seriously wounding anyone in the area.

"This is a known, signature IRA urban terror tactic, and not previously part of the FARC operating manual," Wong explained, adding that there could be some other explanation for the FARC's newfound use of the method.

In the last 12 months, these so-called "one-two punch" bombs have killed ten percent of the Colombian National Police officers tasked with disarming explosives.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Colombian Armed Forces, Gen. Fernando Topias told the committee, through an interpreter, that his government will try the three IRA members in its civilian courts "within weeks."

"They are training members of the FARC. They are providing know-how and technical assistance in the production of non-conventional arms. They are providing technical assistance with regard to the production and use of other forms of weapons to wage guerilla warfare in combat and in intelligence," Topias said.

"But, whether their presence in Colombia is the result of a decision taken by the very structure of the IRA decision makers or whether they are there engaged in these activities in their personal capacities as a matter of their own initiative, we cannot say," he added.

Rep. Dan Burton (R- Ind.) believes the circumstantial evidence pointing to the FARC-IRA link is convincing.

"They're getting new technology, and they're getting some kind of new training that's allowing them to put secondary devices in these areas so that these people are being blown up," he said.

Hyde believes the evidence "strongly indicates" that the IRA's involvement in Colombia extends beyond the three men who were arrested, and has been ongoing for at least three years.

"We are only at the beginning of the process of discovery regarding the nature and extent of the threat that we face," he concluded. "Shielding our eyes from the unpleasant truths will only guarantee that Colombia will present us with a growing list of even more unpleasant surprises."

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