British Army in house searches 'unacceptable', Sinn Féin tells PSNI Chief Constable

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

“I want to know at what level in the PSNI was the request made to bring in the presence of the British Army.”

THE use of British soldiers in PSNI house searches in Derry on Wednesday in case of the “suspected presence of explosives” is “unacceptable”, Sinn Féin has said. The party has asked the PSNI Chief Constable for an explanation.

No arrests were made and there were no reports from the PSNI that explosives had actually been found despite the deployment of the “military specialists”, who were said to have been in civilian clothing and using vehicles painted white.

Sinn Féin Policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly MLA said that the use of British troops was unacceptable. It makes it more difficult for political leaders and others to achieve genuine policing with the community, he said.

“The Good Friday Agreement and the promise of a new dispensation for policing was about making policing accountable to the community and did not include the British Army,” Gerry Kelly said.

“I want to know at what level in the PSNI was the request made to bring in the presence of the British Army.”