Military Families Receive Fake Death Calls

Relatives of at least three Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan have received prank phone calls telling them their loved ones are dead.

Military police at CFB Valcartier are trying to track down a prank caller who is terrorizing local military families with late night phone calls. The wife of a soldier currently in Afghanistan lodged a complaint with the military police after some one phoned and told her her husband had been killed by a roadside bomb. Military officials say they always deliver news of a soldier’s death in person, but are trying to get the word out to families with relatives on their first tour of duty because they may not be aware of the protocol. The pranks have outraged the tight-knit community, and Defence Minister Peter MacKay called the calls "disgusting." Police say the perpetrator could face jail time if apprehended.