SF denies US ban on fundraising

SINN FÉIN denied last night that the Bush Administration had banned it from fundraising in America after US Justice Department figures revealed it had raised more than $7 million (€5.26m) since 1995.

The US administration told Sinn Féin weeks ago to avoid fundraising in the US this year in the wake of the Robert McCartney murder and the IRA bank robbery, one US State Department official said yesterday.

“We made clear that it was a good thing if they decide to do that (not raise funds) at this juncture,” said the US State Department official.