Ó Brádaigh refused Visa for launch of biography in New York

international | miscellaneous | press release Saturday October 21, 2006 17:25 by Seán Ó Murchú - Republican Sinn Féin - Cork

The US Department of State in Washington has refused a Visa to the President of Republican Sinn Féin, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, to visit New York this weekend for the launch there of a biography of which he is the subject.

Ó Brádaigh refused Visa for launch of biography in New York

The US Department of State in Washington has refused a Visa to the President of Republican Sinn Féin, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, to visit New York this weekend for the launch there of a biography of which he is the subject.

A letter from the US Embassy in Dublin states that this action was taken under Section 212 (a) (3) (B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This section is described in a similar letter dates June 9, 1994 as prohibiting "the issuance of a visa to any person who has engaged, or who is likely to engage, after entry into the United States, in terrorist activity".

The biography is a 350-page hard-back book by Dr Robert W White, Professor of Sociology at Indiana University and is the result of 22 years research. It has already been launch this year in Dublin, Belfast and several other centres in Ireland and is available in bookshops.

The proposed weekend visit to New York was intended solely for the book launch, surely a political act which has now been suppressed by the US Department of State.