• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Kelly`s family wants Blair to be cross-examined

IRNA

London, Sept 6, IRNA -- The family of former Iraq arms inspector 
David Kelly wants Prime Minister Tony Blair to be recalled for cross- 
examination at the next phase of inquiry into the circumstances of 
his death. 
According to the Independent Saturday, the family plans to ask 
Blair to be questioned again over his role in naming Kelly as the 
likely source of a BBC report that claimed the government exaggerated 
Saddam Hussein`s threat to justify the Iraq war. 
If the request is granted, as is likely, the Prime Minister`s 
reappearance could be particularly damaging and have serious 
repercussions on whether he is cleared of any misconduct. 
Kelly`s family was said to be upset at Blair, when he was first 
questioned at the inquiry last week and claimed that the former 
weapons inspector was told that he was likely his name would be 
revealed after he admitted meeting BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan. 
His widow, who was reported Friday to have appointed top civil 
liberties barrister, Jeremy Gompertz, told the inquiry that her 
husband was assured his identity would not be made public. 
She said that he felt "betrayed" when his name was confirmed to 
the media by the Ministry of Defence, whom he worked for as an 
advisor, before his assumed suicide on July 18. 
The Independent said that allies of the prime minister were 
still hoping he will not be recalled and were increasingly anxious 
about evidence at the inquiry that has raised questions on his 
precise involvement in the naming strategy. 
Although the inquiry, headed by Lord Hutton, has a strict remit, 
it has also raised further questions about the government`s 
controversial claim in its arms dossier last September that Iraq 
could deploy chemical and biological weapons in 45 minutes. 
If recalled, Blair could also be questioned further about the 
apparent discrepancies between his statement made days after Kelly`s 
death and what has been said at the inquiry. 
On an official flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong on 22 July, the 
Prime Minister "categorically" denied to journalists that he had 
"authorised the leaking of the name of Dr Kelly." 
But at the inquiry, the prime minister conceded that he had a 
central role in the process that led to the Dr Kelly`s name being 
confirmed to the media. He held four meetings over two days in his 
Downing Street study at which the "naming strategy" was agreed. 
Another sensitive issue is that Blair could be asked about his 
previous denial of reports that intelligence staff were worried about 
the 45-minute claim following two intelligence officers telling the 
inquiry that they had concerns about the claim. 
It has already been suggested that the Prime Minister is likely 
to be criticised in Lord Hutton`s eventual report about the way he 
runs his press office and the executive powers given to his 
Communications Director Alastair Campbell as an unelected advisor. 
In an attempt to pre-empt any censure, Blair took advantage of 
Campbell resigning from his post last week by announcing sweeping 
changes, including the separation of government information from 
political briefings. 
It is already expected that Lord Hutton will recall at least 
eight witnesses for cross examination, who is seen as the most likely 
casualty over the affair. 
Hoon was revealed on Thursday to have failed to disclose details 
of his attendance at a Defence Ministry meeting in which a strategy 
was agreed to release Kelly`s name to the press, when he was 
questioned by the inquiry last week. 
HC/214 
End