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Washington: South African political icon Nelson Mandela has finally been taken off the United States terror list after US President George W Bush signed a bill him to travel to the US freely.
Earlier, Mandela was required to obtain clearance from the secretary of state before being allowed into the country.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the restrictions imposed on the leader and other ANC members were “rather embarrassing”.
The new law removes from US immigration watch lists the name of the former South African leader and others on the list because of a relationship with the African National Congress.
The party has ruled South Africa since 1994, when a majority-ruled democracy replaced a white-ruled state where the vote was based on race. During the Cold War, the West considered the ANC a communist organisation that wanted to bring down pro-Western South Africa.
Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his work with the ANC.
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