Ark,
In response to your question:
'MA' is a new (?) user, a Michael Armitage. He posted a query for Brian, contending that the MoD's response to the Select Cttee demolished the notion that there could have been technical failure (I apologise if I've not got the gist of this absolutely correct, but the general thrust is right!).
His posting was followed by one from John Purdey - I have to apologise to Mr Purdey, since I can't recall what he said. The reason for this is that, in the bit of the screen that shows our monikers, 'Michael Armitage' suddenly turned in John Purdey. This meant that it appeared that John Purdey had posted a question (complete with signing himself off with the initials 'MA') and then answered himself. It was most odd, and completely distracted me from the finer points of Mr Purdey's post...
I assume that there was a technical glitch, and that the postings were removed as a result.