The heads of some of Irish America's most influential lobby groups have written to President Bush's special advisor on Northern Ireland, urging him to intervene against what they described as the "attempted destruction of the Good Friday Agreement by the Ulster Unionist Party".

The letter, dated October 10, comes in response to UUP leader David Trimble's threat to pull his ministers out of the power-sharing executive on Tuesday if Downing Street fails to table an exclusion motion against Sinn Fein. Mr Trimble made his demand on Tuesday after two members of Sinn Fein were charged in connection with an alleged 'spy ring' at the NIO.

The Irish American lobby have responded by calling on the US administration "to express its opposition to the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and its continued support for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement".

The letter, co-signed by the leaders of 11 Irish interest groups, goes on to say that the UUP has "contrived the current crisis".

It adds: "We wish to emphasise that the Good Friday Agreement is an international binding treaty, negotiated under United States supervision, which cannot be run on the wishes of one political party. The UUP leadership has contrived the current crisis. The Ulster Unionist Council resolution, passed on 21 September 2002, contained unilateral demands of Sinn Fein and the IRA but not one word of condemnation of the Unionist/Protestant campaign of violence against Catholics, especially in places like the Short Strand in East Belfast."

The letter further accuses the UUP of opposing the North-South Ministerial Council and police reform, and slams the British government for "pandering" to the UUP.

The letter was signed by the heads of: the Ancient Order of Hibernians; Americans for a New Irish Agenda; Irish American Democrats; Irish American Unity Conference; Irish Northern Aid; Irish National Caucus; Irish American Labor Coalition; Brehon Law Society; Lawyers Alliance for Justice; the Irish Lobby; Irish Emigration Society.

(GMcG)