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A whistleblower has told an official investigation that the UK failed to secure confidential technology allowing the militant group to locate local individuals who worked with western forces.

Information Leak Puts Thousands at Risk

The source, called Person A, stated that Afghans affected by the information breach were advised to relocate and switch their phone numbers to ensure their safety from militant forces.

Lawmakers are currently examining the Conservative government's response of a catastrophic breach of private information affecting nearly 19,000 Afghans who had applied to move to the United Kingdom to escape the Taliban.

How the Leak Happened

A spreadsheet containing private information, including identities, addresses and in some cases family information, was accidentally leaked by a staff member working at UK special forces headquarters in early 2022.

The breach became known only in August 2023, when identities of multiple applicants who had applied to relocate to the UK were posted on Facebook.

Taliban Capabilities

It appears there is a false assumption that Afghan rulers are without comparable resources that allied forces use,” Person A informed MPs.

“We left it all behind in Afghanistan; they have it. Should they obtain your phone number, they can locate you down to within metres. That is what specialized teams achieved.”

When questioned about whether the Taliban owned advanced decryption, the source stated: “They've got everything.”

Aftermath of the Security Lapse

Initial findings presented to the committee estimated that at least 49 family members and associates of individuals impacted by the incident had been killed.

A superinjunction concerning the breach was implemented in late 2023 and blocked any information regarding the matter from being made public until recently.

Protective Actions

Due to legal constraints, the whistleblower and the non-governmental organization she collaborated with advised Afghan families they were working with that they had “suspicions that certain devices had been compromised”.

“We recommended that they change residence where feasible and changed their phone numbers. That constituted the crucial data that, should militant forces had access to this information, would lead to identification and capture,” the source testified.

Contested Findings

Person A contested that an official review conducted by an ex-government employee had been mistaken to state that the acquisition of the records by the regime was “unlikely to substantially change present danger”.

“The crucial point is that these Afghans are not confronting the Taliban; they are in hiding. All concerns relate to their previous employment.”

She detailed terrible abuse endured by at-risk Afghans, comprising electrocution, waterboarding, and physical abuse.

“We have had four-year-old children who have had limbs fractured to force the family to reveal locations,” she testified.