Irish-American members of Congress are to campaign to have Sinn Féin staff members removed from the US government's terrorist watchlist following a meeting with Department of Homeland Security officials in Washington.
At the meeting, staff from the Transport Security Administration said that Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams had been removed from its terrorist watchlist, according to a New York congressman whom Mr Adams was due to visit before he was detained at Dulles airport in Washington on St Patrick's Day.
However, congressman Brian Higgins said that Sinn Féin staff members remained on the list and that he and other members of the House of Representatives ad- hoc committee on Irish affairs would fight to have their names removed.
He said Transport Security Administration staff confirmed that Mr Adams had been on a "selectee" list of people who are not considered a direct terrorist threat but who must undergo further inspection before flying.
Mr Adams had been expected to join Mr Higgins at St Patrick's Day festivities in Buffalo, New York, before he was stopped at Dulles. The detention came just hours after Mr Adams visited the White House and posed for photographs with President George W Bush at the US Congress.
Mr Higgins said that the continued inclusion of Sinn Féin staff members on the "selectee" list was unacceptable and said the issue was not closed.
A Transport Security Administration spokeswoman in Washington said that she could not comment on individual cases.
A spokesman for Mr Adams last night said he understood the Sinn Féin leader's name was removed from the terrorist watchlist and he should not experience any more problems travelling to and from and within the US.
"Obviously that is something we welcome and we appreciate the efforts of the politicians who have made this possible."