Lurgan-based group congratulate barrister Amal Clooney on news of her pregnancy

George Clooney, right, flanked by his wife Amal Alamuddin, arrives at the Cavalli Palace for the civil marriage ceremony in Venice, Italy, Monday, Sept. 29, 2014. George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Saturday, the actor's representative said, out of sight of pursuing paparazzi and adoring crowds. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Mrs Clooney is a prominent human rights lawyer who has been involved in the case of the The Hooded Men for more than a year.

She is married to award-winning actor George Clooney and the couple are expecting twins.

Posting on their Facebook page, they said: “The Hooded men and their team would like to wish their barrister Amal Clooney and her husband George, health and happiness with the wonderful news of Amal’s pregnancy.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight Canada, actor Matt Damon who is a friend of the couple explained that George told him the news while they were working together last autumn.

Damon said: “They’re going to be awesome parents. Those kids are lucky.”

He was speaking after the news of the couple’s pregnancy was revealed by CBS’s The Talk host Julie Chen.

Explaining how Clooney revealed the news, Damon said: “I was working with him last fall and he pulled me aside on set and I almost started crying.

“I was so happy for him. And I was like, ‘How far along is she?’ And he goes, ‘Eight weeks’.

“I said, ‘Are you out of your mind? Don’t tell anybody else! Don’t you know the 12-week rule?’ Of course he doesn’t. I was like, ‘just shut up, man’.”

Another source close to the couple, quoted by People, said they were “very happy”.

The Clooneys’ representatives have not yet commented.