The UK government secretly relocated thousands of Afghans to Britain following a major data breach that exposed sensitive information, leading to a $2.7 billion cost and potential Taliban retaliation risks. The relocation program, kept under a court-imposed superinjunction, was revealed after the court lifted the gag order. British Defence Minister John Healey has since apologized for the breach, stating that the incident should never have happened and that the government is taking steps to ensure such a breach does not occur again.
The incident ranks among the worst security breaches in modern British history due to its scale and the risk posed to the lives of thousands of Afghans, some of whom fought alongside British forces during the country’s chaotic withdrawal in 2021. Healey announced that approximately 4,500 Afghans and their family members have been relocated or are on their way to Britain under the previously secret scheme. However, he emphasized that no further asylum applications from Afghans would be approved due to the data leak, citing a government review that found little evidence of the Taliban’s intent to seek retribution against former officials.
The data breach, which occurred in early 2022, was revealed when the Ministry of Defence’s information was published on Facebook the following year, sparking public outrage and calls for accountability. The leaked data included details about members of parliament and senior military officers, raising concerns about national security and the potential consequences for those involved. The court’s decision to lift the superinjunction means the full details of the relocation program will now be made public, potentially leading to greater scrutiny of the UK government’s handling of the situation.