2007-04-12 22:35:01 · 14 answers · asked by nicholas z 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
we do have to sign the officials act,if your referring to the service personal captured at sea they'd know squat
2007-04-12 22:40:58 · answer #1 · answered by fatdadslim 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are there any Secrets in todays World ! The Defence Minister should go..... why cos am having a bad day.... ! the servicemen/woman Charged with what have i missed something ! Am sure the Tax Man have a Charge for them nothing for nothing in this world even if theres nothing to be told.
2007-04-13 05:01:27 · answer #2 · answered by bfpoonline 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Clive H is wrong. You sign the Official Secrets Act when you join up and you sign it again when you leave.
This must have been taken into account by the MOD,who would have known that this bunch would hardly have been in possession of any sort of military secret, including their own number, rank and name.
You can't charge the Secretary of State for Defence - he is a civilian. You can't charge the released hostages because they have been encouraged to do what they have done. It's just another example of weak leadership and poor quality servicemen (and woman).
2007-04-13 13:25:47 · answer #3 · answered by Beau Brummell 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Service personnel are not all subject to the Official Secrets Act. In order for this to happen a serving soldier, sailor or airman or woman must first sign the Official Secrets Act. This is only ever likely to happen where a person is working in an intelligence unit or attached to such where they may see sensitive SECRET or TOP SECRET information.
2007-04-13 06:45:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All this about just giving rank, name and number when captured is very much a grey area.
It generally only applies if captured by a country that one is officially at war with. Seeing as no war exists between Great Britain and Iran, these sailors were merely "Detained"
.
As for selling their story, apart from the moral rights and wrongs of it, they have done nothing wrong.
Even soldiers caught by an enemy are taught to remain silent for at least a 24 hour period, after which, any info they pass on will be historic and of no value to the enemy.
2007-04-13 01:04:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The act refers only to British secrets, what they say about Iran is not a British secret. Thus no charges are necessary.
2007-04-13 06:25:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They didn't give away any secrets, so why would they be charged with a breach of the Act?
2007-04-12 22:49:43 · answer #7 · answered by Our Man In Bananas 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why should the servicemen be charged ??????
They were told it was okay to do so.
2007-04-13 08:09:43 · answer #8 · answered by David 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Which 'Official Secret' are you actually referring to?
2007-04-14 07:01:42 · answer #9 · answered by colposne_d 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why, what Official Secrets did they betray? I don't understand your question.
2007-04-13 04:54:48 · answer #10 · answered by Artyom2000 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋