Fourteen Defense Force staff, including staff at two air force bases, have been caught with objectionable computer images, said Wellington-based newspaper the Dominion Post Monday.

With government departments already on high alert after the police porn scandal early this year, a defense computer probe during the first six months of the year nabbed staff from the army, navy and air force, it said.

Figures obtained under the Official Information Act show five navy personnel were caught in possession of objectionable material and were disciplined.

Defense chief Air Marshall Bruce Ferguson also confirmed that the army's military police had twice found "questionable material. "

Some of the material was linked to an individual but charges had not yet been laid. Objectionable images were also found on an army unit's computer but it was impossible to identify who was responsible.

Seven charges were laid against air force staff at two bases. They were dealt with summarily by their unit commanders.

Ferguson was unable to provide details of cases involving staff at joint forces headquarters.

Parliament Member Ron Mark, a former soldier, said the Defense Force's reluctance to divulge further details was cause for concern, but he believed the number of the Defense Force staff caught was much lower than in the police, from which 5,000 sexually explicit images were found on the computers of 327 police staff, and up to 40 staff could face criminal charges.

Source: Xinhua