In 1995, US Attorney General Janet Reno strongly opposed the decision to grant Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, permission to raise funds in the United States. Reno’s objection stemmed from concerns about the IRA’s ongoing arms procurement efforts, despite a ceasefire declared months earlier. At the time, President Bill Clinton had overruled her and granted Adams a visa to raise funds for his party, a move that sparked controversy, particularly with the UK government.
Reno had previously opposed Clinton’s decision to grant visas to Adams and former IRA chief Joe Cahill in 1994, shortly after the IRA declared its ceasefire. She expressed her frustration again in a February 1995 letter to Clinton’s national security advisor, Tony Lake. Reno argued that there had been no substantial progress toward IRA disarmament and that the group continued to seek arms. She raised concerns that lifting the fundraising restrictions could undermine the US’s efforts to combat international terrorism.
The release of these documents from the National Archives in Dublin sheds light on the US Attorney General’s continued opposition. Reno emphasized that US government agencies, including the State Department, Treasury, and Department of Justice, had intensified their efforts to fight international terrorism and removing the restrictions on Adams could negatively impact those efforts. Despite her objections, President Clinton granted Adams the visa, with the understanding that any funds raised would be used solely for legitimate political purposes that supported the peace process.
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