I.R.A. leader held in United States

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32702, 3 September 1971, Page 15

I.R.A. leader held in United States

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, September 2. Mr Joe Cahill, leader of the militant “provisional” faction of the Irish Republican Army, would learn today whether he will be allowed to enter the United States, the New York Times News Service reported.

Mr Cahill, who had intended to start a four-week fundraising tour in the United States, was told upon his arrival from Ireland that his visa had been cancelled at the request of the State Department.

A hearing is to be held at 9 a.m. tomorrow before a special inquiry ofßcer of, the Immigration Naturalisation Service to determine whether the fiery 51-year-old Irish leader will be allowed to remain in the country or whether he must return to Ireland. M” Sol Marks, district

director of Immigration Service, said that Cahill was expected to spend the night at a detention centre in the agency’s Manhattan offices near Broadway.

The announcement that Mr Cahill was temporarily barred from entering the United States was made by Albert Weiss, duty supervisor for the Port of New York Authority. Immigration officials refused to divulge reasons for the move, apart from saying that it had been requested by the State Department.

U.K. information

In Washington, Mr Robert Bums, a State Department officer responsible for British affairs, said that Britain had not asked for the cancellation of Mr Cahill’s visa, which was issued last year. He said, however, that Britain had supplied “information about the man’s background.”

Among information received by the State Department, he said, was an assertion that Mr Cahill was convicted for the murder of a police officer in 1942 and given a prison sentence, later reduced to seven years. Asked whether they would normally exclude an application for entry, Mr Bums replied: “That’s not clear to me.” Most wanted man Mr Cahill, as chief of staff of the Provisional I.R.A. faction that advocates open warfare in Northern Ireland to achieve a united Ireland, is listed by the British Army as its most wanted man in Northern Ireland.

The’ shooting of as many British soldiers as possible and the bombing of military targets are among the immediate aims of the 1.R.A., Mr Cahill said in Dublin yesterday, the “Evening Standard" reported. Mr Cahill was speaking at a press conference shortly be-

I fore leaving on his trip, to . America. “This campaign is designed r toil bring about the downfall ■ of Stormont, direct rule from . Westminster, and then a con- , ference resulting in a final ' settlement of the Irish ques- : tion.” I He said that any Irish pub, 1 club or restaurant that en- . tertained British troops would be regarded as a legitimate ‘ target for I.R.A. provisional attack. ■People would use such pret mises at their own risk.

I.R.A. objectives The “Evening Standard” said that Mr Cahill had defined the present I.R.A. objectives as:— 1— Defence of Catholics from the brutality of the British Army and Protestant extremists. 2 Reprisals against atrocities by the British Army. 3 The shooting of as many British soldiers as possible and the bombing of

military targets. 4—The bombing of economic

targets. During the conference, Mr Cahill said that the I.R.A. was stronger than ever before.

Mr Cahill said: “There has been a huge influx of recruits since internment was introduced.

“Thirty-five members of our organisation were arrested in the internment roundup, but since then 10 times that number have joined up. “These people, who were not previously prepared to indulge in physical force to further political objectives they believed in, saw, in internment, the last straw. They now recognise that only active involvement in the I.R.A. can secure the aims which we share with them.”

The “Evening Standard” said that Mr Cahill had made no secret of the fact that the object of his American tour was to collect money, guns, ammunition, and explosives to help the I.R.A. campaign.