Colombia
Judge rules three Irishmen fit to stand trial
A Colombian judge has ordered the trial of three suspected members of the IRA to begin on 2 December. They are charged with training Marxist rebels to build bombs.
In a pretrial hearing, Judge Jairo Acosta concluded the state's case was strong enough to go ahead, and admitted key evidence against the men.
They could face up to 20 years in prison for allegedly training Latin America's largest rebel army during their trip to a former guerrilla stronghold last year.
Niall Connolly, Jim Monaghan and Martin McCauley refused to leave their cells to attend the hearing, proclaiming their innocence and protesting that the trial is politically motivated.
