A U.S. Congressional committee says it has evidence that the Irish Republican Army has been collaborating with Marxist rebels in Colombia. 

In a statement outlining a report to be released later Wednesday, House International Relations Committee investigators say Colombia is a potential breeding ground for terrorism equal only to Afghanistan. They say they believe terrorists from Cuba, Iran, and possibly the Basque separatist group ETA have also trained with the rebels, known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. 

The report recommends a change in American policy, to allow U.S. assistance to Colombia to be used for the fight against terrorism. 

Previous financial aid has been limited to fighting the illegal drug trade. The groups mentioned in the report are thought to have used rebel-controlled territory in Colombia for training in military tactics and the use of explosives. Officials believe the groups fund their efforts through illicit drug sales. 

The report was prepared following the arrest in Colombia last year of three suspected IRA members. The three men are awaiting trial, on charges of training FARC rebels in the use of explosives. 

The report's release coincides with a congressional hearing on ties between the IRA and the Colombian rebels. The leader of Sinn Fein, the political arm of the IRA, Gerry Adams, has stated he will not attend the hearing because his presence might prejudice a future trial of the three men. 

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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