AMERICA DENIES SANDS-MCKEVITT VISITOR'S VISA
America denies Sands-McKevitt visitor's visa
By Chris Parkin, PA News and Ray O'Hanlon
In New York
BERNADETTE Sands-McKevitt, partner of Michael McKevitt, has been refused a United States entry visa in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb.
She had planned a visit next month to promote the objections of her 32 County Sovereignty Movement -the alleged political allies of the Real IRA Omagh bombers - to the Northern Ireland peace deal.
Her application to enter the US, was lodged with the American embassy in Dublin last week.
The State Department in Washington said the organisation would not be welcome.
A visa permitting Ms Sands-McKevitt, a sister of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, to go to the United States earlier this year was later withdrawn.
The couple moved their children out of their Blackrock home this week because of fears for their safety following protests by townspeople about the family's reputed activities.
Local politicians have joined a campaign to clear the reputation of Dundalk because of the paramilitary dimension that has surrounded the town in the past week.
Meanwhile, despite an almost total Irish-American condemnation of the Omagh bombing the first signs of a visa campaign on behalf of members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee emerged yesterday.
Former Noraid leader Martin Galvin, a veteran of the long legal battle to obtain a US visa for Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, indicated that a similar campaign would now take shape around the issue of visas for Bernadette Sands-McKevitt and other leaders of the Sovereignty Committee.
That tour is now off indefinitely following the decision taken at a high level in Washington, to deny her waiver application.
Galvin indicted that given the circumstances of recent days Sands-McKevitt was planning to withdraw her application anyway.
Galvin said that a number of Irish-Americans wanted to hear all viewpoints.
"The past shows us that excluding legitimate views by visa denial is counter productive. Bernadette Sands-McKevitt should be allowed to express her views in the US and people here have a right to object to those views if they want."
Galvin indicated that the campaign would probably be initially muted given the circumstances around last Saturday's bombing. He himself said he had been stunned by the tragedy in Omagh.
Galvin said he believed there was "legitimate differences" between the Sovereignty Committee and the "Real IRA", the main focus of investigation after the Omagh bombing.
By Chris Parkin, PA News and Ray O'Hanlon
In New York
BERNADETTE Sands-McKevitt, partner of Michael McKevitt, has been refused a United States entry visa in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb.
She had planned a visit next month to promote the objections of her 32 County Sovereignty Movement -the alleged political allies of the Real IRA Omagh bombers - to the Northern Ireland peace deal.
Her application to enter the US, was lodged with the American embassy in Dublin last week.
The State Department in Washington said the organisation would not be welcome.
A visa permitting Ms Sands-McKevitt, a sister of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, to go to the United States earlier this year was later withdrawn.
The couple moved their children out of their Blackrock home this week because of fears for their safety following protests by townspeople about the family's reputed activities.
Local politicians have joined a campaign to clear the reputation of Dundalk because of the paramilitary dimension that has surrounded the town in the past week.
Meanwhile, despite an almost total Irish-American condemnation of the Omagh bombing the first signs of a visa campaign on behalf of members of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee emerged yesterday.
Former Noraid leader Martin Galvin, a veteran of the long legal battle to obtain a US visa for Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, indicated that a similar campaign would now take shape around the issue of visas for Bernadette Sands-McKevitt and other leaders of the Sovereignty Committee.
That tour is now off indefinitely following the decision taken at a high level in Washington, to deny her waiver application.
Galvin indicted that given the circumstances of recent days Sands-McKevitt was planning to withdraw her application anyway.
Galvin said that a number of Irish-Americans wanted to hear all viewpoints.
"The past shows us that excluding legitimate views by visa denial is counter productive. Bernadette Sands-McKevitt should be allowed to express her views in the US and people here have a right to object to those views if they want."
Galvin indicated that the campaign would probably be initially muted given the circumstances around last Saturday's bombing. He himself said he had been stunned by the tragedy in Omagh.
Galvin said he believed there was "legitimate differences" between the Sovereignty Committee and the "Real IRA", the main focus of investigation after the Omagh bombing.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0152
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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