An urgent probe has been launched after the identities of SAS troops from one of its most senior regiments were published online.
The fresh data blunder came last year when a Grenadier Guards’ in-house publication included a rollcall of the names and deployments of its most senior officers.
Ten men were listed next to the codename MAB – which is shorthand for MoD A block – the site of the UK special forces headquarters, The Sunday Times has reported.
The codename has been widely publicised online – in turn allowing any terrorist group or enemy state to work out that the troops were part of the SAS.
The document containing the information about the soldiers’ identities was produced by the Grenadier Guards Regimental Association.
The group is a charitable association made up of former service members – with such organisations routinely handed information about active army personnel.
Defence secretary John Healey is understood to be furious at the data breach which comes just days after the Afghan superinjunction was exposed.
Head of the army General Sir Roly Walker has ordered an investigation into why the details of the SAS soldiers were so widely available.
Head of the army General Sir Roly Walker (pictured) has ordered an investigation into why the details of the SAS soldiers were so widely available
Defence secretary John Healey is understood to be furious at the data breach which comes just days after the Afghan superinjunction was exposed
He said according to The Sunday Times: ‘The security of our people is of the utmost importance and we take any breach extremely seriously.’
‘As a result of this incident, I have directed an immediate review into our data-sharing arrangements with our regimental and corps associations to ensure appropriate guidance and safeguards are in place to best support the vital work they do,’ he added.
Meanwhile, SAS legend Chris Ryan was also concerned at the leak, and told MailOnline last night: ‘There are serious questions to be answered here.
‘Why is this data readily available and to who?
‘This is an information management issue. Malicious or accidental insider, a breach has consequences.
‘What classification is the in-house magazine and who signed it off?
‘When these breaches happen, there’s needs to be accountability or they will keep happening.’
The former military hardman-turned acclaimed author added: ‘This is a “MABulous” blunder by the Guards – that’s why they have their own squadron.’
It comes after the Mail revealed earlier this week that special forces, MI6 spies and government officials were among more than 100 Britons on the lost Afghan dataset.
Unmarked government charter planes have been landing at airports including Stansted and RAF Brize Norton packed with hundreds of Afghans
The Afghans were flown in from Pakistan and then processed before being whisked off by coach to start a new life in Britain
One of the Government’s unmarked planes landing at Stansted Airport in Essex with 227 Afghans on board
It emerged that a secret operation smuggling migrants to Britain was being run by ministers after a military blunder put 100,000 ‘at risk of death’ from the Taliban.
Ministers fought for two years to hush-up the data blunder with an unprecedented super-injunction that silenced this newspaper and other media.
The High Court was told the draconian gagging order was necessary to protect 100,000 Afghans the UK had put ‘at risk of death’.
But after we were able to get access to the database and analyse it, it became clear that dozens of senior British military officers including a brigadier and government officials were also exposed.
The Mail’s investigation triggered a massive secrecy row yesterday as security-cleared parliamentarians erupted in fury at being kept in the dark.
Lord Beamish, chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, said: ‘I am astounded at this.
‘The idea that members of MI6 are on this list…We get quarterly reports from the security agencies and we have heard nothing at all. Why?’
The MOD said: ‘It’s longstanding policy of successive governments to not comment on 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.’
A spokesman added: ‘The government strongly welcomes the Intelligence and Security Committee’s scrutiny of the Afghan data incident.
‘Defence Intelligence and the wider department have been instructed by the Defence Secretary to give their full support to the ISC and all parliamentary committees.
‘If ministers and officials are asked to account and give evidence, they will.
‘We have restored proper parliamentary accountability and scrutiny for the decisions that the department takes and the spending that we commit on behalf of the taxpayer.’
