A Fianna Fáil politician has angrily rejected a claim by the vice-president of Colombia that she was guilty of "double standards" over the case of the "Colombia Three".
Senator Mary White, who made many Colombian visits to observe the trial of James Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly, was responding to a claim by vice-president Francisco Santos Calderón.
Mr Santos told The Irish Times in a telephone interview that Irish politicians and several international lawyers had lobbied him in Bogota on issues related to the case, but when the men "jumped bail" there had been "total silence". He was "disappointed", and said this was an example of "double standards".
Denying the claim, Ms White condemned the manner in which the appeal hearing in the case "was held in private, with no new evidence and no lawyers".
A majority of the three-member tribunal reversed the not-guilty verdict on the charge of training the Farc guerrillas, and gave the men sentences of 17 to 17½ years, with large fines.
Mr Santos also called for the immediate arrest of the men under the Interpol warrant issued for them. "That's a warrant that should be executed. That's what Interpol is there for."
However, he praised the attitude of the Government and Tánaiste Mary Harney in particular. They had taken a "constructive position", and he expressed confidence this would bring results. "They understand how grave the situation is. And where there's a will, there's a way."
He added that Colombia's legal system was independent, and any petition in relation to the three men would have to come from the sentence execution judge, who had responsibility for implementing the appeal verdict, acting in co-operation with the attorney general's office.
"That's one of the reasons why it's taking time."
He was non-committal as to whether he believed the men should be extradited or serve their sentences in Ireland.
"We think that constructive ideas might be able to solve this problem."
He meets Ireland's Ambassador to Mexico, Art Agnew, tonight.
Meanwhile, the Council of Europe said it would take a minimum 12 months for Colombia to become a signatory to a European convention that would allow the men to serve their jail terms in this State, and that Colombia had yet to make any request regarding the convention.
The convention on the transfer of prisoners has been cited by the Government as an option if the three men cannot be extradited.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern "to confirm his support for the idea that, as no extradition agreement exists between the two countries, the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention be used to ensure that the "Colombia Three" terrorists serve their sentences in Ireland".
He added: "The Taoiseach should immediately direct any members of his own parliamentary party to come forward with any information that they have on the men's whereabouts."
He also accused Mr Ahern of taking a "noticeably softer line" than Ms Harney.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach said Mr Kenny's comments were mischievous.
Ms White said she did not know of the men's whereabouts.