Speaking personally, nothing says 'reliable' like the unsupported testimony of a pair of convicted felons.
I guess those multiple layers of fact-checking aren't so important after all ? Oops - my mistake: the BBC did check with both the MoD and the Association of Chief Police Officers - both of which rejected these claims.
So, for those of you keeping score, on the one hand we have two convicted criminals claiming 'everyone does it', and on the other flat-out denials from the relevant bodies. And this is what the BBC considers a verified story ?
But don't say they don't support the troops...
UPDATE;
OK, I've been asked in the comments why I'd believe anything from ACPO ? Answer: 99.9% of the time I wouldn't, but as well as being lefty hacks, they're also the most hoplophobic organisation in the known universe. These are people who think GUUUUUUNS frequently break out of their cabinets and roam the street killing people - I can't believe they'd pass up the chance for more hysteria. On the other hand, the BBC never actually comes out with any evidence for widespread smuggling of guns, except the testimony of the felons in question.
Sure, opportunity probably means that soldiers probably smuggle more guns than, say, the staff at McDonalds, but how common is it ? We don't know - the BBC doesn't say, all it does is put up the convicts' claims up against the rebuttal from the MoD/ACPO as though the level of smuggling was a purely subjective matter: some say 'high', some say 'low', who's to know ? For an organisation that can't seem to use the word 'Muslims' without preceding it with 'vast majority of peace-loving', this lack of context is shameful.
I guess those multiple layers of fact-checking aren't so important after all ? Oops - my mistake: the BBC did check with both the MoD and the Association of Chief Police Officers - both of which rejected these claims.
So, for those of you keeping score, on the one hand we have two convicted criminals claiming 'everyone does it', and on the other flat-out denials from the relevant bodies. And this is what the BBC considers a verified story ?
But don't say they don't support the troops...
UPDATE;
OK, I've been asked in the comments why I'd believe anything from ACPO ? Answer: 99.9% of the time I wouldn't, but as well as being lefty hacks, they're also the most hoplophobic organisation in the known universe. These are people who think GUUUUUUNS frequently break out of their cabinets and roam the street killing people - I can't believe they'd pass up the chance for more hysteria. On the other hand, the BBC never actually comes out with any evidence for widespread smuggling of guns, except the testimony of the felons in question.
Sure, opportunity probably means that soldiers probably smuggle more guns than, say, the staff at McDonalds, but how common is it ? We don't know - the BBC doesn't say, all it does is put up the convicts' claims up against the rebuttal from the MoD/ACPO as though the level of smuggling was a purely subjective matter: some say 'high', some say 'low', who's to know ? For an organisation that can't seem to use the word 'Muslims' without preceding it with 'vast majority of peace-loving', this lack of context is shameful.
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