Senior US diplomats in Dublin have raised concerns about the arrest of three Irishmen in Colombia during a meeting with Sinn Fein's Washington representative.
A meeting in the US embassy in Ballsbridge with Sinn Fein's Ms Rita O'Hare, who returned to Ireland last Saturday for a holiday, indicates the impact the episode has made on the US State Department.
Last week, a senior State Department official warned in Washington that it would be "concerned" if it is proved that the Provisional IRA was "assisting', sharing information or in any way collaborating" with the FARC terrorist group in Colombia.
Last night, a US embassy representative confirmed to The Irish Times that the meeting had taken place: "This was part of the continuing dialogue between Sinn Fein and the embassy."
However, Sinn Fein emphasised that the encounter had been dominated by Northern Ireland policing reform, in the wake of the publication of the British government's long-awaited plans.
"That accounted for most of it. They raised their concerns about Colombia, but to a much lesser extent.
"They just voiced their concerns. But people should wait until the full facts are available," a Sinn Fein representative commented last night.
Asked to confirm reports that the embassy had demanded the meeting with Ms O'Hare, who is an influential figure within Sinn Fein, the party insisted that it was merely "one of a round".
Last week, State Department deputy spokesman Mr Phillip Reeker hinted that there would be political implications for Sinn Fein if links between the IRA and FARC were proved.
"Obviously, we will be watching that closely. We will be looking for facts in the situation, and any relationship with FARC and other terrorist organisations would raise troubling questions," he told journalists in Washington.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination of a prominent businessman, Mr Richard Egan, as US Ambassador to Ireland on August 1st.
Mr Egan is the founder and current director of EMC Corporation in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and established the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation.
He is a veteran of the US Marine Corps and a graduate of Northeastern University.
