0 0 2 , ▁the ▁Colombia ▁Three ▁were ▁charged ▁with ▁training ▁F AR C - EP ▁members ▁in ▁bomb - making ▁in ▁Colombia . ▁The ▁Colomb ian ▁authorities ▁had ▁received ▁satellite ▁foot age ▁of ▁the ▁men ▁with ▁F AR C - EP ▁in ▁an ▁isolated ▁j ung le ▁area , ▁where ▁they ▁were ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁spent ▁five ▁weeks . ▁They ▁could ▁have ▁spent ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁in ▁ga ol ▁if ▁the ▁alleg ations ▁were ▁proved . ▁ ▁During ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁a ▁key ▁witness ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁against ▁the ▁three ▁Irish ▁republic ans ▁disappeared . ▁This ▁came ▁as ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁President ▁Ger ry ▁Adams ▁admitted ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁men ▁was ▁the ▁party ' s ▁representative ▁in ▁Cuba . ▁The ▁missing ▁witness , ▁a ▁former ▁police ▁inspect or , ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁seen ▁Mr ▁McC au ley ▁with ▁F AR C - EP ▁members ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Without ▁his ▁testim ony , ▁legal ▁sources ▁said ▁the ▁ch ances ▁of ▁conv ict ing ▁the ▁three ▁men ▁were ▁reduced . ▁ ▁They ▁were ▁eventually ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁trav elling ▁on ▁false ▁pass ports ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁but ▁were ▁acqu itted ▁of ▁training ▁F AR C - EP ▁members . ▁That ▁decision ▁was ▁revers ed ▁after ▁an ▁appeal ▁by ▁the ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁Colombia ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁sent enced ▁to ▁ 1 7 - year ▁terms . ▁However , ▁they ▁van ished ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0