Loyalists In New York On Peace Trip

He's joined by Jimmy Birch, John Bunting and Denis Cunningham.

The group was issued special visas after the intervention of the US State Department, the Northern Ireland Bureau and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The men will meet politicians and business leaders, and visit urban regeneration projects in the hope that they can get ideas for similar projects in their home areas of Belfast.

Irish Senator Martin McAleese - husband of President Mary McAleese - will accompany the men on their visit.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the men's trip underscored their peace process commitment and "their determination to build on that process to improve the situation on the ground, particularly in disadvantaged loyalist areas which have yet to fully benefit from the peace dividend".