British soldiers told to ‘scrub’ their social media pages of evidence they serve in the Army to avoid being targeted by ISIS
New guidance issued to 14,000 troops at mega-bases over increasing fear of Lee Rigby-style terror attacks
BRITISH soldiers have been told to “scrub” their Facebook and Twitter pages of evidence they serve to avoid being targeted by nutcase jihadists, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
Worrying new guidance was issued to troops at mega-bases in Bulford, Tidworth and Larkhill, Wiltshire, where 14,000 soldiers are garrisoned.
After a spate of terror attacks in France and Germany rocked Europe, Top Brass are determined not to see another Lee Rigby-style attack on a British hero by anyone inspired by the Munich or Nice attacks.
Troops are also warned to run in pairs off base after two Middle Eastern men armed with a blade tried to bundle an RAF airman into the back of a van in a feared abduction attempt this week.
A memo to staff, seen by The Sun on Sunday, said: “Advice to the Staff.
“All staff and their families should remain vigilant and report anything that is suspicious immediately.
“Personnel when running off camp should consider running in pairs.
“Personnel should consider scrubbing their social media pages to avoid drawing attention to themselves.”
Insiders said that meant removing pictures of themselves in uniform or on deployment and erasing any posts which state where they are based.
It also means troops must wipe personal information, like jobs and birthdays, even if their accounts are private.
There was also advice on uniforms.
The guidance, added: “While there remains no ban on the wearing of uniform in public, personnel should not feel compounded to wear it outside MOD establishments when common sense says a lower profile would be more appropriate.”
Kidnappers could be part of gang
THE TWO men who attempted to abduct an RAF soldier at knifepoint on Wednesday may be part of a wider gang, say police.
Detective Superintendent Paul Durham said there may have been accomplices in the dark people-carrier used by the suspects.
The soldier, in his 20s, was out running when two men tried to bundle him into the vehicle near RAF Marham, Norfolk.
A villager said the vehicle may have been carrying out “a recce” of the base a week ago.
He saw two men of Middle Eastern appearance speeding away.
The fresh guidance, issued on Friday, comes after a German student armed with a pistol went on the rampage in a Munich shopping centre leaving scores dead and injured.
One serviceman said: “We are being made to live in the shadows.”
