This week, an email was sent to individuals in Afghanistan, informing them that their personal information “may have been compromised.” These recipients, who had all worked with British forces in Afghanistan, had applied for asylum in the UK due to the fact that their work for Britain made them a target for the Taliban. Now, they were told that their asylum applications had been leaked to the public.
Recipients were advised to avoid phone calls, messages, and emails from unknown contacts, limit their social media access, consider closing their accounts, and only go online through a private connection. Understandably, they were terrified.
Dan Sabbagh, the Guardian’s defence and security editor, discusses with Helen Pidd how 24 hours later, John Healey, the defence secretary, apologized for what is likely the most significant and costly data leak in British government history. The former Afghan judge Marzia Babakarkhail also speaks with Helen about how Afghans are afraid that the leaked data list could put their lives in danger.
