Ireland, The United States has said it was "deeply concerned" at the news that dozens of activists including 19 Americans could go on trial in Egypt over the alleged illegal funding of aid groups.
"We have seen media reports that judicial officials in Egypt intend to forward a number of cases involving US-funded NGOs to the Cairo criminal court," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
"We are deeply concerned by these reports and are seeking clarification from the government of Egypt," Nuland told reporters travelling with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In Cairo, a judicial source told AFP that 44 people would face trial, one day after Washington said it would review aid to Cairo if it pursued its months-long crackdown on non-governmental organisations.
The offices of several local and international NGOs including Freedom House and the International Republican Institute were raided in December by Egyptian authorities as part of a probe into alleged illegal funding.
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