(Adds McNeilly online post)
LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) - A whistleblower who alleged that
Britain's nuclear-armed submarines have major security flaws has
left his post in unspecified circumstances, the Royal Navy said
on Wednesday, after an inquiry found no safety breaches had
occurred.
Able Seaman William McNeilly released a lengthy dossier
online last month in which he said the Trident nuclear defence
system was vulnerable to its enemies and potentially devastating
accidents because of safety failures.
The government held an inquiry into his allegations which
concluded many of his assertions were factually incorrect or the
result of misunderstandings.
"We can confirm that AB McNeilly has left the Naval Service,
the details of which are a matter for the individual and his
employer," a spokeswoman for the Royal Navy said in a statement.
McNeilly was initially arrested after failing to report for
duty and then confined to military accommodation while being
investigated.
In an online post on Wednesday, purportedly written by
McNeilly but which could not be independently verified by
Reuters, the sailor repeated his concerns about safety and said
the Navy had fired him.
"Most people know that I acted in the interest of national
security. However, I was still given a dishonourable discharge
from the Royal Navy. On the claim that my sole aim was to
discredit their public image," the post said.
"It is shocking that some people in a military force can be
more concerned about public image, than public safety."
(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
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