MoD man 'faces Official Secrets trial' for leaving files on train The Cabinet Office official who left secret intelligence documents on a train seems set to face criminal charges under the Official Secrets Act. At least he might if anyone tracks down the files on the case. The unnamed official, who was on secondment from the Ministry of Defence, left the orange envelope on a seat when he …
Neasden Police Station
Time: 18.00
Report from member of the public that they'd 'found' an envelope marked 'Top Secret MoD Documents' on a train. Despatched the entire Neasden division and coordinated a meet with the Armed Response Unit at the railway station where said member of the public was allegedly waiting.
Member of the public was asked to handover the documents whereupon he was immediately held in a 'lock down' position while the ARU terminated him with several rounds to the head from their Glock pistols.
Envelope returned to the MoD with a friendly nod and wink "Be a bit more careful next time sir"
Entire division back to Neasden for celebratory cup of tea at a job well done.
Just when will these clowns get it - there's no need for paper documents to be taken out of the office. Full Stop. Period. End of matter.
If they simply must - because they are so "important" that they can't do their work whist at work -then there's encrypted laptops.
I agree that the official needs to be charged with something, but what person, upon finding a document marked "UK Top Secret", then gives it to a news organisation? Sureley its easier to find a police station than the BBC?
People complain about how our society is media driven, but since when is the media to be entrusted with state secrets whilst UK forces are involved in an overseas conflict?
Not wanting to be "Daily Mail" on this, but you have to ask yourself WTF? Feel free to post your choice of person/organisation that you'd like to slip a Top Secret document to? (Not the Register though - no pandering after Cash 'n' Carrion freebies you lot!)
If they can identify the culprit then seriously I think they ought to fling the book at him/her, never mind the OSA - get the stupid cretin under the terror laws (one way ticket to Gitmo on standby). I'm getting really really p'd off with the government treating sensitive data in such a cavalier manner. Heck, if I took TS-classified documents out of the office and then "mislaid" them I'd expect to be sacked and prosecuted. There is a "duty of care" for god's sake!
As JohnB points out - if you _must_ have these docs away from the office, use digital copies with a strong encryption and good key. There's no excuse, as there's plenty of good programs out there and some of them - like Truecrypt - are even free.
Unfortunately as much as I'd like this bozo to get 2-3 years at her maj's pleasure I suspect that the case'll get dropped quietly. Otherwise what next, maybe ministers would be in the dock for losing their data! (Here's hoping)
(Paris icon because compared to this half-wit she looks like a Mastermind candidate)
> UK Top Secret = Give to Journalist?
1) Hand in to the Police. They hand it back to the MOD. MOD says "Phew! That was lucky, good job nobody noticed" and does nothing about it.
2) Hand it to the media. They hand it back to the MOD with publicity and the MOD are then at least then aware that people know they screwed up and will maybe do something about their data security.
"A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service told the Register: "We have given our advice to the police on this and are not prepared to discuss what that advice is."
No I think you'll find its the CPS that decides whether or not to prosecute people. The clue is in the name.
whoever mislaid it SHOULD have taken more care and MAY have been criminally negligent. Isn't it amazing that even when the authorities do something right and refer the matter to the courts some people still see conspiracy.
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