Exclusive: Data Leak Reveals Massive Undocumented Migration of Afghans to Britain

In a significant development, it has been disclosed that the United Kingdom established a clandestine resettlement programme to bring thousands of Afghan nationals to the UK, following a substantial data breach involving sensitive personal information. The incident, one of the most severe in British history due to both its financial implications and potential life-threatening risks for those affected, occurred in early 2022.

The leak, originating from the Ministry of Defence, led to the publication of data on Facebook the following year. Subsequently, a superinjunction was issued, preventing media reporting on the matter until its recent lifting by the court.

British Defense Minister John Healey expressed regret for the breach, which encompassed details about members of parliament, senior military officers, and others who supported applications to aid Afghan soldiers and their families in relocating to the UK. Healey acknowledged, “This data incident should never have occurred… I offer a sincere apology to all whose data was compromised.”

The programme, involving an estimated cost of £2 billion ($2.7 billion) and affecting thousands of individuals, was implemented by the previous Conservative government due to concerns about potential reprisals from the Taliban upon their return to power. As of now, approximately 4,500 Afghans and their family members have been relocated or are in transit under this previously undisclosed scheme.

However, Healey stated that no additional individuals from Afghanistan will be offered asylum due to the data leak, citing a government review which found minimal evidence indicating intent by the Taliban to seek retribution against former officials.

As of May 2023, over 16,000 people affected by this incident have been relocated to the UK, though some were moved under existing schemes. This disclosure comes at a time when Britain’s public finances are strained and the right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK political party leads in opinion polls.

The government is currently facing legal action from those affected by the breach, further increasing the overall cost of the incident. Sean Humber, a lawyer at Leigh Day representing Afghan citizens impacted by previous data breaches, stated that those affected “are likely to have strong claims for substantial compensation” due to the resulting anxiety and distress.

British forces were initially deployed to Afghanistan in 2001 following the September 11 attacks on the United States, playing a significant role in combat operations there until 2014. In early 2022, a spreadsheet containing details of Afghans who had worked for the British government prior to the Taliban takeover in 2021 and had applied for relocation to the UK was inadvertently emailed to an individual outside of government systems.

The superinjunction was first granted in 2023, following arguments by the Ministry of Defence under the former Conservative government that public disclosure of the breach could endanger those involved by exposing them to extra-judicial killing or serious violence by the Taliban. The current centre-left government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has launched a review into the injunction, the data breach, and the resettlement programme.