Reporting Inadequacies Caused M72 Thefts
Reporting Inadequacies Caused M72 Thefts
February 6, 2007: The Australia Department of Defence (ADF) says recordkeeping and accounting procedures prior to the year 2000 could have resulted in vulnerabilities contributing to the theft of M72s from ADF stocks.
An audit into security policies and practices relevant to Defence weapons, munitions and explosives was ordered in late December last year. Concerns were raised over the state of Defence stocks after Police recovered a stolen M72 rocket launcher from a Sydney man with alleged links to a terrorist organisation.
The weapon recovered from Sydney was one of seven rocket launchers to disappear from what has now been confirmed as ADF stock. Defence can not say from where or when it was stolen.
The audit undertaken by both ASIO and the National Audit Office made a number of recommendations for improving weapons management but found poor accounting and recording may have led to the theft of weapons. While ADF does not yet know when the thefts occurred, it believes they were taken ‘some years ago,’ with criminals exploiting now known vulnerabilities in accounting and reporting that occurred prior to the year 2000.
“Defence has previously announced reviews and investigations identifying inadequacies in accounting a security of weapons and munitions before 2000,” Nelson said in his statement last night.
“This audit has confirmed those earlier findings. The audit has revalidated the good reasons for improved accounting and security procedures used after 2000.”
Nelson says an AFP led joint investigation with Defence called Operation Majorca resulted in changes to procedures in 2000. The investigation considered a range of weapons security issues between 1992 and 1998 and was completed in late 1999.
This previous investigation was critical of ‘poor adherence to practices and procedures associated with the receipt, storage, distribution and disposal of stock, including weapons and weapons parts.” The investigation resulted in Defence making changes to weapons management procedures but no Defence personnel were disciplined as a result of the findings.
Nelson’s said investigators will continue to explore issues potentially connected with inadequate procedures carried out prior to 2000.
The latest audit made a number of recommendations for weapons management and will be followed by a second audit mid-way through the year.