By KUNA
London : The British Ministry of Defence (MOD) declined to comment Tuesday on a report that a UK Army laptop packed with secret information has been handed to the popular newspaper the Sun, after an officer left it in a club. It contains personal details of more than 200 soldiers, plus data on their movements, military exercises and weapons store locations. The computer was left by Royal Engineers Captain Luke Badger after a late-night drinking session in a central London Club, the daily said. A Sun reader found it under a table and handed it to the paper.
It also contains the names of troops wives and children plus reports on soldiers including recommendations for promotion and disciplinary issues. The blunder is another huge embarrassment for the Ministry of Defence, particularly as the data was not encrypted, commentators said. It is also a serious breach of strict rules issued just three weeks ago by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus ODonnell, they pointed out. Following a string of lost data scandals, he banned all laptops holding unprotected information from leaving government offices. Capt Badgers computer would have provided a goldmine for terrorists, the Sun claimed. The newspaper said it will hand over the laptop to the MOD.