The Colombia 3 returned to Ireland last week to a mixed reception, polarised between the relief of their families and the hostility of unionist politicians in the North and opposition parties in the South. A divided media reflected both positions with the extreme right demanding the immediate extradition of Jim Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly back to Bogota while the other commentators reiterated the appaling human rights record of the Colombian regime and the 26-County Government's obligation to protect its own citizens. Free article

Fine Gael challenged on "partitionism" Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP, responding to early reports on Friday 5 August that the Colombia 3 had returned to Ireland said that he welcomed the news. "It will be a great relief to the three men's families and friends and I would hope that they can now get on with their lives," he said. Free article

Thousands of republicans from across the country turned up in West Belfast on Sunday 7 August to support the demands of people whose loved ones were shot dead by the British crown forces for the truth about the killings to be made known. Free article

In an abuse of the powers of government and the courts, the Rossport 5 remain in jail. The five Mayo men are now in their sixth week of imprisonment, on foot of an injunction which the High Court in Dublin accorded to Shell ordering them not to obstruct work by the multinational oil company on the pipeline across their lands. This work, it has been established, was and is illegal because Shell did not have the required consents from Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey. Free article

A Sinn Féin delegation led by Party President Gerry Adams and Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness met British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street on Thursday 4 August, in the wake of the latest developments in the Peace Process. Also on the London delegation were Party Chair Mary Lou McDonald and Caitríona Ruane MLA. Free article

Speculation was rife in Belfast this week that a man shot in the chest on Sunday 7 August is the latest casualty of the ongoing UVF/LVF feud. Laurence "Duffer" Kincaid, who has a drug conviction and is presently on bail for possessing drugs, was shot in the chest at a house in Glenside Park in North Belfast at 6.30am on Sunday 7 August. Free article

The UDA is being blamed for attacks on three nationalist families in the predominantly unionist village of Cloughmills, County Antrim in the early hours of Monday 8 August. In a worrying development the bombs used are said to be new, sophisticated devices with timers never used by unionists until now. Free article