McGuinness to visit US ahead of imminent IRA statement

Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness and party colleague Rita O'Hare are due to travel to the United States today ahead of an imminent IRA statement on the organisation's future intentions.

The IRA is expected to issue the statement in tomorrow's edition of An Phoblacht.

Earleir this year, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called on the IRA to declare an end to its armed struggle and commit exclusively to politics.

The organisation subsequently began an internal debate overseen by Mr McGuinness, who is expected to brief republican activists in the US about the outcome of those discussions over the next 24 hours.