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Doctors seek new inquest into death of Iraq whistleblower

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Dec 6, IRNA -- Six senior doctors have started legal action to force a new inquest into the 2003 death of David Kelly, amid suspicion that the former Iraq weapons inspector may have been murdered and did not commit suicide as originally claimed.

Kelly was found dead near his Oxfordshire home in central England after he was exposed as the source of a controversial BBC report that the UK government exaggerated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein to justify the Iraq war.

A subsequent inquiry ordered by former prime minister Tony Blair concluded that he killed himself by cutting his wrists after taking a cocktail of painkillers.

But doctors, led by former assistant coroner Michael Powers, are convinced that the original verdict of suicide is unsafe and should be overturned.

A 13-page dossier prepared as the basis for the legal action argues that the bleeding from Kelly's ulnar artery in his left wrist is "highly unlikely" to have caused his death. It also points out that there was very little co-proxamol found in his body.

"From the evidence that we have as to the circumstances of his death, in particular the aspect of haemorrhage, we do not believe that there was sufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he killed himself,” Powers said.

"There are many times in political life that the country needs to have an answer and the desire to have an answer overwhelms the desire to get the right answer," he said.

Other doctors urging the Attorney General Baroness Scotland to allow a judicial review include trauma surgeon David Halpin, epidemiologist Andrew Rouse, surgeon Martin Birnstingl, radiologist Stephen Frost, and internal medicine specialist Chris Burns-Cox.

Their call comes following the start of the long-awaited inquiry into the Iraq war, which is examining Britain's role in the 2003 invasion and its aftermath.

Many government critics, including Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, who has written a book from evidence he has compiled, claiming Kelly was murdered.

Halpin said his personal view was that it was "very likely" Kelly was assassinated.

He said Baker had uncovered information showing there were no fingerprints on the knife the scientist apparently used to slash his wrist, even though he was not wearing gloves.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 827393