Blair: Report on Iraq's Pre-War Weapons Program Not Altered
VOA News
28 Aug 2003, 13:46 UTC
British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he would have had to resign if there had been any truth to a report that his government had exaggerated intelligence on Iraq's pre-war weapons program.
Mr. Blair, testifying Thursday, before a judicial inquiry into the death of a British weapons expert, said a government report on Iraq's pre-war weapons program was not altered for political gain. The British leader told a packed courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice the charge of exaggeration was extremely serious. He said if it had been true, it would have merited his resignation.
Mr. Blair said the Iraq dossier was based on information provided by British intelligence sources. He said the report was prepared because public debate on the possible conflict had developed into an enormous clamor and stressed the importance of presenting the best case the government had to the public.
The inquiry is looking into circumstances regarding the apparent suicide of weapons expert David Kelly. Mr. Kelly was found dead last month, days after he was identified as the source of the controversial British Broadcasting Corporation report that the government was exaggerating the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The BBC report had sparked a bitter dispute between the public broadcaster and the government, with the credibility of both at stake.
About 100 protesters greeted Mr. Blair with banners accusing him of lying as he arrived for the hearing.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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