A British Royal Navy Sailor is expected to turn himself in after releasing a scathing critique listing a series of security failures in the Trident Nuclear Submarine program.  25-year old Able Seaman William McNeilly faces a possible prison term for being a whistle-blower. 

In an 18-page report titled “The Secret Nuclear Threat” – which was published online – McNeilly details his allegations of serious security and safety breaches on board the HMS Victorious, on which he was stationed earlier this year.  He describes Trident as a “broken system” with poor security less stringent than the average nightclub, including: bags allowed to be brought on board without being examined; guards who fail to check security passes; sailors whose hobbies include killing small animals and watching extreme pornography.

More troubling accusations followed, such as sailors being allowed to use the missile compartment as a weight room, with men dropping weights near the firing system.  Another passage alleges a fire on board the boat while it was in harbor. 

“The chief said if it had been at sea there would’ve been about 50 dead bodies on three deck because of the amount of people struggling to find an emergency breathing system,” McNeilly wrote.

A Royal Navy spokesman accused McNeilly of putting “a number of subjective and unsubstantiated personal views” in his report.  But McNeilly said he already guessed that chiefs would go on the offensive rather than admit something was wrong.

“Security at the site must (be) heightened immediately whether you make the transition to nuclear disarmament or not,” he wrote on his social media account.  “Responding by downplaying a report because there’s lack of seniority, acting like your security system is impenetrable and your aged system is still in excellent condition for sailing, is not an adequate response.”