Fatal MoD blunder

IT is beyond stupid, incompetent and careless of the Ministry of Defence to permit the calamitous data blunder that risks the lives of some 255 Afghan interpreters.

By widely circulating an email that mistakenly revealed the personal details of translators stranded in Afghanistan, the bungling department has potentially signed their death warrants.

Denounced as traitors by the Taliban, these courageous men and their families are in hiding to avoid brutal revenge.

But make no mistake. If their names, email addresses and photos fall into the jihadists’ hands, they will be ruthlessly hunted down, tortured and executed.

Yes, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is furious and has apologised. Yes, he has ordered an urgent investigation. And yes, the penpusher blamed for the dreadful error has been suspended.

Tragically, though, it is too late. The damage has been done.

The only way ministers can rectify this unedifying foul-up is to pull out all the stops to rescue those at risk of reprisal.

However, the MoD’s sloppiness with personal data doesn’t just have chilling implications for the interpreters.

Such ineptitude in wartime, when sensitive operations, manoeuvres and troops’ lives depend on sensitive information not falling into enemy clutches, could well have catastrophic consequences.

For the sake of Britain’s security – as well as the fate of our Afghan brothers-in-arms – Mr Wallace must urgently raise his department’s game.