Paisley berates US for lifting his visa

Northern Ireland Protestant hard-liner Ian Paisley lashed out at the US decision to revoke his visa and bar a January US tour. A Paisley spokesman called the US State Department decision to invalidate Paisley's visa because his presence would be against American public interest ''a denial of free speech.''

The British parliamentarian planned to lead a tour to counter Irish Republican propaganda in the US.

He attributed the American move to his fierce opposition to the London-Dublin summit proposals for peace in Northern Ireland and his plans for a paramilitary force to protect the province's Protestants, The Times of London said.