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The classified UK defence documents found at a bus stop

Ministry of Defence (MoD) Main Building in Whitehall, London. That the MOD can seem complex and confusing is partly attributable to the variety of tasks we undertake, but another reason lies in the Department’s origins. Today’s MOD is a fusion of old ministries: from 1946 to 1964 there were five Departments of State doing what the unified MOD does now: the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Defence itself. In 1964 the first three and the MOD were amalgamated, and the defence functions of the Ministry of Aviation Supply (as it had by then become) were absorbed in 1971, when the MOD took over responsibility for supplying military aircraft and guided weapons.

Sensitive defence documents containing details about the British military have been found at a bus stop in England

As reported by the BBC, the papers included plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan, as well as discussion about the potential Russian reaction to the British warship HMS Defender’s travel through waters off the Crimean coast last week.

The BBC stated live on air that a member of the public who wanted to remain unnamed contacted the media firm when they found the pile of documents — about 50 pages in all — behind a bus stop in Kent, southeast of London.

The Ministry of Defence says an employee had reported the loss of the documents last week

It did not provide details about the incident or confirm the documents were found at a bus stop.

“The Ministry of Defence was informed last week of an incident in which sensitive defence papers were recovered by a member of the public,”

The Ministry said in a statement, which was also posted to Twitter.

“The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched.”

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