The NI Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, has given a strong indication that the US administration will include the "Real IRA" on its list of terrorist organisations.
President Clinton had been expected to announce the decision during his recent visit to Ireland. Mr Mandelson said yesterday that he was now confident that the dissident republican group would be included on the State Department list. There was, however, no indication as to when designation might take place.
During Northern Ireland Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Mandelson said that after an initial "misunderstanding or lack of information," the US administration had now "listened to and considered more carefully" his representations.
"I am confident that, given that the Irish Government, too, has now decided to add their voice to this call, the American government will indeed designate the `Real IRA'," he said.