| Date: | Wednesday July 23, @05:14PM |
|---|---|
| Author: | ewing2001 |
| Topic: | News |
| from the Independent dept. | |
David Kelly's widow, Janice, summoned Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, to see her yesterday to demand an explanation of his role in the events leading to her husband's apparent suicide.
Independent -Thursday 24 July 2003
"...Fresh information passed to The Independent suggests Dr Kelly had close links to the espionage services, and was well placed to judge whether No 10 had exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. It throws doubt on government comments before his death designed to portray him merely as a relatively junior technician.
Dr Kelly was a consultant to the Defence Intelligence Analysis Staff, which can draw upon classified information provided by the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), MI5, GCHQ, military intelligence and material supplied by allied espionage services.
In this capacity, he played an important role in providing information for the September Iraq arms dossier.
Dr Kelly, the country's leading expert on weapons of mass destruction, was asked by the Joint Intelligence Committee compiling the dossier to assess weapon-making material and equipment that the Iraqi regime could have been hiding, according to senior sources.
The scientist, who was found dead near his home six days ago, was used by MI6 to interrogate Iraqi defectors claiming to have information on Saddam's alleged weapons of mass destruction.
A Whitehall source said: "In reality, David Kelly's death means that the country has lost one of our most valuable analysts in the field of chemical and biological warfare. One only has to look at his work history to realise how extensive his contact has been with the world of intelligence."
Mr Hoon and Alastair Campbell, the Prime Minister's director of communications, have been accused of responsibility for Dr Kelly's identity being disclosed to the media. He was promised anonymity by the Ministry of Defence.
"...David Kelly's family is likely to bury him in accordance with the Baha'i faith he adopted four years ago.."
Financial Times -July 23 2003
Tony Blair knew a full week before David Kelly's name became public that a Ministry of Defence scientist had informed his superiors that he could be the source for a BBC report that Downing Street embroidered its dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
"...The prime minister is expected to tell the inquiry the news that an MoD official had made an approach on the BBC report was restricted to a very small group of Downing Street officials while the MoD investigation continued. Alastair Campbell, the prime minister's head of strategy and communications, only knew of Mr Kelly's approach two days after Mr Blair had been told.
The Kelly affair remains a serious challenge for the government. Mr Blair can now be placed firmly in the chain of events that led to Mr Kelly's death last Friday.
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printed from IraqGate UK- David Kelly had MI6 Infos on 2004-05-31 00:09:06