BBC Journalist Defends His Quoting of Dead Arms Expert over Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 21, 2003

BBC Journalist Defends His Quoting of Dead Arms Expert over Iraq

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BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan on Sunday claimed he did not misquote late David Kelly, the Ministry of Defense expert on Iraq banned weapons who was now named by the broadcaster as the source for its controversial Iraq dossier story.

"I want to make it clear that I did not misquote or misrepresent Dr David Kelly," Gilligan said in a statement released on his behalf by the BBC, denying having himself "sexed-up" information gathered at a meeting with Kelly.

Kelly, 59, was found dead Friday after being fingered as Gilligan's likely mole in a story claiming Downing Street had "sexed-up" the dossier setting out reasons for going to war, especially the claim in the dossier that Saddam Hussein could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.

Days before the tragedy, Kelly, had denied being the source forthe BBC story before a parliamentary committee. Media reports saidhis death was an apparent suicide.

Gillian said: "Entirely separately from my meeting with him, DrKelly expressed very similar concerns about Downing Street interpretation of intelligence in the dossier and the unreliability of the 45-minute point..."

Gilligan also denied having ever described his source as a member of the intelligence services, although he had close connections with the intelligence community.

Instead, he said he had only ever described Dr Kelly as "a senior official closely involved in the preparation of the dossier."

Following the death of Kelly, British Prime Minister Tony Blairand his media chief Alastair Campbell are faced with angry calls to quit.

Still on his Asian tour, Blair said he was happy with the BBC's confirmation that Kelly was the source but is yet to respond to Gilligan's statement.

"I am pleased that the BBC has made this announcement. Whatever the differences, no one wanted this tragedy to happen," said Blair,while ruling out calls for a recall of parliament following Kelly's death.

Earlier, in a statement read out by Director of News Richard Sambrook, the BBC said it deeply regretted Kelly's death, adding that the broadcaster would cooperate fully with the judicial inquiry which has been set up by the government.

Kelly's family have blamed his death on the strain of being caught up in the ferocious war of words between the BBC and the government.

In a statement, they said: "Events over recent weeks made David's life intolerable and all those involved should reflect long andhard."

Local analysts say that Kelly's death plunged Blair into the biggest crisis of his premiership as he has already suffered a continuous decline of the public support for him.

An opinion poll published last Monday by the British Daily Mirror newspaper found that the majority of Britons thought Blair had misled the country over Iraq.

The ICM survey found that 66 percent of those asked believed Blair had misled them, either knowingly or unknowingly, over the case for the US-led war against Iraq before he sent British troopsinto action.

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