Man dies after Ulster TA camp blast

A 51-year-old civilian died after an explosion at a Territorial Army camp in Londonderry today.

The explosion happened around 7.20am inside the camp on the Limavady Road.

The construction worker is understood to have been carrying out work at a temporary building at Caw Camp compound when the device detonated after he picked it up. He was taken to Altnagelvin hospital but died a short time later.

The DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, who lives about a mile away from the camp where the blast occurred, said: "It appears that there was a device either just inside the camp or on its periphery and it was picked up by a person in the vicinity."

He added: "The device did actually explode in his hand as I understand it."

Mr Campbell drew comparisons between this attack and one on Magilligan camp several months ago.

"I am sure people will recall that at Magilligan camp within the past seven or eight months an almost identical situation occurred as the one that seems to have occurred this morning, where a device was left there and a person who was an employee in the camp picked up the device and received very serious injuries as well on that occasion."

Mr Campbell called on Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Northern Ireland Secretary to "get real" and realise that there was a massive increase in violence in the province.

"Things are not getting better, violence is increasing rather than just going on and dribbling on," he added.