ex-Porton Down Scientist named as BBC Source

posted by ewing2001 on Thursday July 10, @12:23AM

The British Ministry of Defence (MOD) claimed, that a former UN Inspector was source of BBC

As the Guardian reported, Dr. David C Kelly was named yesterday "as the person said by the Ministry of Defence to have had an "unauthorised" meeting with Andrew Gilligan"(BBC).

GFP found out, that Kelly was more than just an "adviser to the Foreign Office". From 1984-1992 he was Head of Microbiology at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down. Kelly was also among the hardliners who claimed that Iraq had WMD.
In October 2001, Kelly claimed, that in 1985, Iraq obtained Anthrax through a mail order of Virginia-based American Type Culture Collection.

It was not obvious if Kelly was indeed the BBC Source.
The BBC already reacted:

"The BBC refused to release any more details about its source, saying it would not be drawn into a trap." (Developing Story)

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Kelly took also part in all trilateral visits to the former Soviet Union, Russia, the US and the UK. He was Senior Advisor on Biological Weapons to UNSCOM from 1994-­99, and led and participated in many inspections in Iraq from 1991-­98.
From 1984-1992 Kelly was Head of Microbiology at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down.

Porton Down, controversial for their Chemical Warfare Experimental Stations from the 20s to the 50s, was also able to obtain the Anthrax Spores, which had been used in the October 2001 attacks.

Porton Down, directly, and the CIA, indirectly, received their samples of the particular anthrax spores used in the attacks from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infections Diseases at Fort Detrick, about 50 miles north of Washington.

Since the First World War, the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down carried out experiments on volunteers to understand better the effects of chemical agents that might be used against British troops in warfare and improve protective measures.

In the 90s, Porton Downs cooperation with the British Government became stronger again and ended basically in a merger:
By 1991 the Chemical Defence Establishment of Porton Down became the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and was one of the six new Defence Support Agencies. In 1995, the Establishment became part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), an executive agency of MOD evolved in 1994 from proposals of the “Front Line First” Defence Cost Studies.

In 2001, DERA split into two organisations: QinetiQ, a private company, and DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), which remains an agency of MOD. Porton Down is now known as DSTL, Porton Down.

Today, Dstl delivers defence research, specialist technical services and the ability to track global technological developments.

In July 2002, the Carlyle Group took a 34% stake in QinetiQ.

Giving evidence under hostile questioning from the foreign affairs select committee, Dr Kelly confirmed that he met Mr Gilligan and that the subject of Downing Street communications chief Alastair Campbell did come up. However, he said he did not recognise his words in Mr Gilligan's report for BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

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