Fed: DIO officer feared going to jail, report reveals

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2000
Fed: DIO officer feared going to jail, report reveals

By Max Blenkin, Defence Correspondent

CANBERRA, Dec 1 AAP - An Australian intelligence officer killed himself because he
feared being jailed for up to seven years for revealing secret information to allies,
a report found today.

A report into the death of Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) officer Mervyn Jenkins
in Washington on June 13 last year said Mr Jenkins believed he was being set up.

The report, prepared by former attorney-general's department secretary Tony Blunn,
said Mr Jenkins had indeed disclosed AUSTEO (Australian eyes only) classified documents
to allies.

But Mr Jenkins believed he was authorised to share this information and continued to
do so even after being warned to stop.

That prompted a joint security investigation by Defence and the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In February, Defence Minister John Moore commissioned Mr Blunn to review conduct of
the security investigation.

An unclassified version of the Blunn report, featuring numerous blank spaces, was released
today, but did not reveal what information Mr Jenkins revealed or to whom.

However, DFAT denied the documents related to sensitive information about East Timor.

Mr Blunn found there were ambiguities about whether AUSTEO material could be disclosed
to allies and that arrangements for management of DIO staff were ineffective.

He also found relations between DIO staff in Washington at that time were, as described
by other personnel, poisonous, hopeless and dysfunctional.

Mr Blunn said tapes of the interview with Mr Jenkins conducted at the embassy on June
8 revealed he initially believed the problem arose from a misunderstanding.

"In subsequent comments to colleagues Mr Jenkins expressed the view that he was being
set up, that `they' were out to get him (although it is not clear who they referred to)
and that he would be going to jail," he said.

"According to a statement made by Mrs (Sandra) Jenkins, he referred in a conversation
with her to a sentence of between five and seven years. A major concern for him was how
his family would cope."

Five days after the interview Mr Jenkins was found hanging in the garage of his home
outside Washington.

Mr Blunn said the allegations against Mr Jenkins were serious and warranted investigation,
but that should have been conducted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

Mr Moore said the suicide was a tragedy for Mr Jenkins' family and colleagues and the
government would act on recommendations of the Blunn report.

"We have already instituted a number of reforms in the management of DIO," he said.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton said the Blunn report proved Mr
Jenkins was subjected to oppressive tactics by the DFAT investigation.

"Mr Jenkins was to be made an example of," Mr Brereton said in a statement.

"He was subjected to oppressive tactics amounting to intimidation."

Brian Hatch, solicitor for Mrs Jenkins, said she would continue legal action to gain
compensation from the Commonwealth.

AAP mb/jg/daw/cd

KEYWORD: JENKINS NIGHTLEAD

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