A TOP ranking American Government official has told Irish groups seeking to end
the investigation into possible links between Colombian FARC terrorists and the
IRA that it is in America's national security interests that it continue.
The blunt message came from the chairman of the US House of Representatives
International Relations Committee, who has informed prominent Irish and
Irish-American groups seeking to end the investigation the inquiry must continue.
"We must know what choice the IRA and its political leadership, Sinn Fein, have
made concerning support for global terrorism," Congressman Henry Hyde wrote in
a letter obtained by the Irish Independent to an Irish-American organisation who
had appealed to the committee to end its inquiry into the roles of three Irishmen
currently being held in a high-security prison in Bogota. The trio were arrested late
last summer suspected of training FARC guerillas.
"We intend to get to the truth," continued Mr Hyde in a sharply-worded, two-page
correspondence. "Embarrassment is not of concern to Congress when we are
conducting an inquiry that involves protecting our national interests," he said.
Mr Adam's visit to Cuba this week which the US still designates as a state
sponsor of terrorism and his comments on the three Irishmen has clearly rankled
the congressional chairman, Mr Hyde.
