A member of the British army disposal team at the scene of an alert in Derry.
The British army continues to play a vital role in the North, East Derry DUP MP Gregory Campbell has said.
Mr Campbell was speaking after being informed by the Minister of State for British Armed Forces, Mark Francois, the “bomb squad” was deployed on 392 occasions here last year.
Mr Campbell said: “The Army continues to play a vital role in Northern Ireland. Since the end of Operation Banner, many people think Her Majesty’s Armed Forces are no longer deployed in the Province however this answer highlights how Army Technical Officers were deployed on almost 400 occasions in 2013.”
Mr Campbell said the “bomb squad” were “unfortunately” still required here.
He added: “They play a vital part in keeping us safe and combating the evil plans of terrorists.
“Dissident republican terrorists in particular are attempting to destabilise the political process here, they say they want the British presence out of Northern Ireland.
Gregory Campbell.
“Leaving aside the fact that people here regard themselves as British, dissident activity which is supposed to force the ‘British’ out of Northern Ireland yet brings the British Army back on our streets every day.”
Mr Campbell said the role the British army played in Northern Ireland, both through bomb disposal and also through intelligence and the security services, was “often overlooked.”
He concluded: “These deployment rates once again give cause to pay tribute to and praise the vital role of our Armed Forces in Ulster.”
