SAS members, spies among UK nationals exposed in Afghanistan data leak
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A coalition special operations service member searches a compound during a clearing operation in Chak district, Wardak province, Afghanistan, Oct. 13, 2011. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kaily Brown via Wikimedia Commons)
LONDON - Details of more than 100 British nationals including spies and special forces soldiers were included in one of the country's worst ever data breaches that led to thousands of Afghans being relocated to the UK, British media reported on Thursday.
The leak by the Ministry of Defence in early 2022, which surfaced on Facebook a year later, prompted the relocation of more than 16,000 Afghans to Britain as of May this year amid concerns that they would face deadly reprisals from the Taliban.
The personal information of more than 100 British officials, including spies from the foreign intelligence agency MI6 and special forces such as the SAS (Special Air Service), was included in the data leak, according to BBC News and other outlets.
A spokesperson for the ministry of defence cited its longstanding policy not to comment on matters related to the special forces.
"We take the security of our personnel very seriously and personnel, particularly those in sensitive positions, always have appropriate measures in place to protect their security," they said.
On Tuesday, Defence Secretary John Healey issued an apology, acknowledging that the leak also included information about lawmakers and senior military figures who supported Afghan allies seeking refuge in the UK.
The breach led the former Conservative government to launch a secret relocation programme, estimated to cost around 2 billion pounds ($2.68 billion) to protect those affected.
A court-imposed 'superinjunction' which banned media coverage of the leak or the relocation programme and even that there was such a veto in place, was lifted on Tuesday.
($1 = 0.7459 pounds)
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, Editing by William Maclean // REUTERS)
