Details of SAS personnel and MI6 officers were among the data inadvertently leaked by a Ministry of Defence official, sources have confirmed. The breach involved a database of 18,700 Afghans who had applied for relocation to the UK after the Taliban takeover. The leak included names and email addresses of Britons sponsoring or linked to individual cases.
Defence sources said the highly sensitive document contained references to a “secret route” for Afghans to come to the UK. SAS and other special forces officers were involved in assessing applications from members of the elite Afghan 333 and 444 units. The exposure of their identities, typically closely guarded, triggered significant official concern.
The MoD obtained a superinjunction to prevent disclosure of the leak and created a relocation scheme costing over £2 billion for some Afghans affected. The superinjunction lapsed on Tuesday after a High Court judge ruled the threat was no longer “very significant”. Further restrictions were relaxed on Thursday.
Defence Secretary John Healey apologised for the breach and told the Commons the spreadsheet contained names and contact details of applicants, their family members, and in some cases, MPs, senior military officers and government officials who had supported applications. Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) and the Commons defence select committee have launched inquiries.
The decision to seek the injunction was taken by then Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in August 2023, after the leak to a Facebook group was discovered. Successor Grant Shapps maintained the gagging order until the July 2024 election while developing a secret relocation scheme. Former armed forces minister James Heappey said the scheme was discussed in a cabinet committee, with “frustrated resignation that it was necessary”.
