NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — pretext — david-kelly — Viewing Item

Wmd scientist dead { July 18 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11298-2003Jul18.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11298-2003Jul18.html WMD Scientist's Death Rocks British Government Reuters Friday, July 18, 2003; 1:37 PM By Gideon Long LONGWORTH, England (Reuters) - A mild-mannered British scientist was found dead in the woods Friday after being unwittingly dragged into a fierce political dispute about intelligence used to justify war on Iraq. British police said they had found a body matching that of soft-spoken defense ministry biologist David Kelly, a former U.N. weapons inspector, who had been grilled in parliament over allegations the government hyped intelligence to justify war. The political fallout was immediate. Prime Minister Tony Blair, who learned about the discovery of the body while flying from Washington to Tokyo, promised an independent judicial inquiry into the death if the body was confirmed to be Kelly's. But opponents called for Blair to return and face a broader probe into the case he made for war. The shock even sent Britain's pound tumbling half a percent on currency markets as traders weighed the severity of the crisis for Blair. Kelly's family reported him missing overnight after he went for a walk in the Oxfordshire countryside Thursday with no coat and stayed out despite a rainstorm. He had denied being the source for BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan, who said in May a senior intelligence source had told him the government had "sexed up" intelligence on Iraq. That report sparked parliamentary hearings into how the government made the case for war, forced Blair onto the defensive and pitted government officials against the BBC. News of Kelly's death completely overshadowed Blair's rapturous reception by the U.S. Congress Thursday, although there was no indication the prime minister would turn back from a scheduled week-long trip to Asia. "The prime minister is obviously very distressed for the family of Dr Kelly," a spokesman said aboard the flight. Opposition Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith said Blair should return from abroad and any inquiry should cover the entire issue of intelligence used to justify the war. "If I was the prime minister, I would cut short this visit and return home. There are very many questions that will need to be asked over the coming days," he said. RELUCTANT WITNESS Kelly had clearly been reluctant to enter the public debate over Iraq intelligence. Speaking so softly he could barely be heard, he admitted to parliament's foreign affairs committee he had met Gilligan, but denied telling him that Blair's communications chief Alastair Campbell had ordered intelligence to be hyped. Kelly appeared shell-shocked when parliamentarians at the hearing described him as "chaff" and a government "fall guy" put forward to shield top officials from blame. Kelly's wife Jane described Kelly as deeply upset, family friend Tom Mangold, a television journalist, told ITV News. "She told me he had been under considerable stress, that he was very, very angry about what had happened at the committee, that he wasn't well," Mangold said. The government said that if Kelly was Gilligan's source, their differing accounts proved the BBC story was wrong. Gilligan, who never named his source, was questioned at a closed-door hearing around the time Kelly vanished Thursday. (Additional reporting by Peter Graff and Dominic Evans in London, and Katherine Baldwin in Tokyo) © 2003 Reuters

Bbc reveals it has key tape Bbc says scientist source { July 20 2003 } Blair aide campbell to expose kelly Blair appears before inquiry into kelly death { August 28 2003 } Blair in crisis Blair rocked by whistle blower death Blair to testify kelly case Blair wants apology from bbc Body found british weapons advisor British defence to destroy media plan Crucial questions kelly death David kelly testimony { July 15 2003 } David kelly [jpg] Eight hours before kelly body found Electric pads suggest recent test Electrodes on chest unusual { August 1 2003 } Inquest to resolve kelly suicude riddle Kelly could not have died from suicide paramedics claim Kelly death details Kelly evidence iraq dirty bomb { August 4 2003 } Kelly inquest is shut closed { March 16 2004 } Kelly mysterious electro pads { August 1 2003 } Kelly said his life was in danger { August 21 2003 } Kelly was key Medics cast doubt on kelly suicide verdict Medics raise kelly death doubts { December 12 2004 } Murder of david kelly ftw 1 Murder of david kelly ftw 2 Murder spoils blairs plans { July 19 2003 } New questions over death of david kelly { June 2006 } Off the cutt remark sent the bbc reeling { January 31 2004 } Paramedics challenge lord hutton over kelly death Russian colleague doubts kelly committed suicide Scientist bled from slashed wrist Scientist inquiry could topple senior figures Scientists death fuels british intelligence row { July 20 2003 } Three doctors dispute kellys death Top judge clashes with ministers { December 14 2004 } Warned dark actors playing games Wide says suicide Wmd authority turns up dead Wmd scientist dead { July 18 2003 } Files Listed: 42

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