Ulster Television, Belfast ^ | 2 October 2001 | Reporter
A senior US government official's appearance at the Sinn Fein annual conference cannot be justified given President Bush's war on terrorism, it has been claimed.
Stormont Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey called into question the decision by American Ambassador to Dublin, Richard Egan to attend the weekend Ard Fheis.
He said: "It amazes me, to be perfectly honest, how the diplomat concerned is going to be able to square that with the President`s onslaught on international terrorism."
Mr Egan was among the Dublin audience for Sinn Fein President Gerry Adam`s keynote address on Saturday.
Representatives from the Basque separatist group ETA`s political wing, the Batasuna Party, the Palestinian authority`s representative in Ireland and an ANC MP also attended the two-day event.
Bush to order Sinn Fein terror link inquiry
Irish Independent ^ | Sunday October 7th 2001 | KEVIN MOORE and ALAN MURRAY
THE US ambassador, Richard Egan, is conducting an urgent review of American policy towards Irish republicanism, the Sunday Independent has learned exclusively.
This comes as sources in the North have indicated that they believe for the first time the IRA is close to moving on decommissioning.
Meanwhile, at least 4,000 marchers brought Dublin city-centre traffic to a standstill yesterday in one of the biggest republican marches in years, held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the hunger strikes.
Ambassador Egan's review helps explain what appeared to be an extraordinary decision on his part to make an official visit to Sinn Féin's Ard-Fheis last weekend in the wake of the US atrocities and evidence of Provisional links to Colombian terrorists.
It is understood his review will include recommendations on whether Sinn Féin/ IRA should be allowed to continue to raise funds in America and whether republicans such as Gerry Adams should continue to get US visas without arms decommissioning.
Last weekend's Sinn Féin Ard-Fheis heard motions condemning globalisation and US activities in Colombia. There were calls for the lifting of the American embargo on Cuba, backing for Puerto Rican "freedom" from the US, support for Basque separatists and the PLO, and condemnation of Israel.