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Iraq inquiry compromised by 'insider' appointment, says Welsh MP

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Jan 25, IRNA -- The appointment of a Cabinet Office insider to a senior position at the Iraq inquiry has left it 'flawed and compromised', according to Elfyn Llwyd, the parliamentary leader of the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru.

Margaret Aldred, who works for the Cabinet Office, was appointed as secretary to the inquiry into the events leading to the 2003 war 'because of her extensive previous involvement in Iraq'.

But Llwyd, who is also a lawyer and has spent the past nine months investigating the appointment, said that Aldred has a “conflict of interest” recognised by the Cabinet Office and to date nothing has been done to mitigate the issue.

Before the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, “Aldred’s section of the Cabinet Office drew up plans for regime change – an unlawful concept at international law,” he said.

“It is the Cabinet Office – the Joint Intelligence Committee and its staff that produced the so-called ‘dodgy-dossier’,' which was used to justify the war, the 59-year old Welsh nationalist leader added.

In an article for the parliamentary news website, epolitix, he said the Cabinet Office where she worked has “most to answer for over the whole Iraq debate.”

The MP, who previously led attempts to indicted Tony Blair for war crimes when he was prime minster, also asked why Aldred was in Washington for three days three weeks prior to the announcement of the inquiry in 2009.

According to Wikileaks, the British government promised to protect America's interests ahead of the opening of the inquiry into the Iraq war.

'Was she involved in the drawing up of the obstructive protocol on disclosure' which have prevented the declassification of secret notes sent by Blair to former US president George W Bush, Llwyd also asked.

Other troubling questions include whether Aldred’s role at the inquiry is as central as her role in Iraq policy at the Cabinet Office.

'Given the dubious conflicts of interest why is she the effective gatekeeper to the inquiry?” he questioned, also asking if she is likely to be involved in drawing up the final report due later this year.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30205682