A leading critic of the Sinn Fein leadership's peace strategy has hit out at the Bush administration's decision to ban him from entering the U.S.

Anthony McIntyre, who served 18 years in the H Blocks as an IRA prisoner, was due to travel to New York later this month to promote his latest book.

However, McIntyre's publishers have been informed by the State Department that his visa application to enter the U.S. has been refused.

The book, "Good Friday: The Death of Irish Republicanism," highlights what McIntyre believes to be serious flaws in the political leadership of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

Criticizing the Bush administration's decision to ban him from the U.S., McIntyre said, "It seems to be that you are only allowed to enter America if you support the peace process.

"I'm a strong critic of the peace process and the Sinn Fein leadership, but I'm also against the use of violence. Other well-known former prisoners are allowed to enter the U.S. whenever they want, even though they have still been involved in armed conflict.

"It seems to be if Big Brother doesn't like you, then you don't get in."

It is the third time that the former Blanket man, who completed a PhD in Republican history after being released from jail in 1992, has been refused entry to North America.

"In 1997 I was invited to give a lecture at a university in Montreal but was taken off the airplane in Amsterdam and told I was banned from entering Canada or the United States," McIntyre said.

"Even though my wife is from California and I'm well known as a political commentator I'm still refused entry into the U.S. I don't think it's fair that they refuse me entry just because they don't like my politics."