US freezes Northern Ireland groups' assets

The United States has ordered American financial organisations to freeze the assets of five Northern Irish militant groups it views as terrorists.

It also named a sixth group in Spain.

The move will harmonise a US list of terrorist groups with one published last week by the European Union.

A BBC Washington correspondent says the new additions ensure that Europe and the US maintain a united front in their anti-terror moves.

The Northern Ireland groups named are on both sides of the sectarian divide in the province: the Continuity IRA, the Loyalist Volunteer Force, the Orange Volunteers, the Red Hand Defenders and the Ulster Defence Association.

The Spanish group is the anti-fascist organisation, Grapo.

An official at the United States Treasury Department said it was too soon to know whether any of the organisations had assets within American jurisdiction.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service