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Blair avoids Iraq WMD questions
LONDON, England -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has avoided questions at his monthly news conference about an inquiry into the suicide of an Iraq weapons expert David Kelly. Kelly apparently killed himself after being exposed as the source of a BBC report by Andrew Gilligan that, prior to war with Iraq, claimed the government had exaggerated the threat from Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Lord Hutton, chairing the inquiry, closed its first phase Thursday but put all witnesses on notice that they could be recalled or criticized in his report. Two intelligence officers told the senior judge Wednesday they were unhappy with the strength of language in a now-infamous government dossier on Iraq's weapons, which included a claim that WMDs could be deployed in 45 minutes. (Full story) Evidence has also exposed apparent inconsistencies in statements from top officials and ministers. Key testimony to the inquiry Thursday included one of Kelly's colleagues saying that he was shocked by the BBC's Gilligan trying to put names to him as to who had changed the dossier, and the assertion that defense secretary Geoff Hoon had been at meeting which discussed the naming of Kelly to journalists. At his news conference Thursday, Blair -- whose trust ratings have plunged with the affair -- sought to shift the media focus to his government's domestic agenda but reporters persistently probed him about Iraq and Kelly. "Let the judge do the judging," Blair said. "I know what the headlines are today, but the important thing about this inquiry is that the judge is hearing the totality of the evidence," Blair said. Closing the first phase of his inquiry, Hutton said all the key players could be open to criticism. He will recall some witnesses and take further evidence, starting on September 15. "Speculation as to whether a certain person may or may not be subject to criticism may well be ill-founded," he warned. Blair has said he bears full responsibility for his government but asked if he would be prepared to resign if Hutton criticized his administration, he refused to answer. Kelly's wife, Janice told the inquiry this week how he had felt betrayed by his employers and a psychiatrist said he was probably driven to his death by feelings of public disgrace. On Thursday, BBC journalist Tom Mangold told the hearing that he and Kelly "occasionally gossiped on the phone" and at one time discussed the 45-minute claim. "He did not feel that weapons would be deployed or activated within 45 minutes," Mangold said, adding that Kelly laughed about the claim. Olivia Bosch, a former colleague of Kelly, told the inquiry he was "taken aback" by the way Andrew Gilligan tried to elicit information from him. "He said he had never experienced it in the way that Gilligan had tried to do so, by a 'name game'." Kelly told Bosch that the journalist had wanted to play a "name game" as a way of finding out "who was responsible for inserting information into the dossier." She said "the first name he mentioned, and very quickly" was Blair's then communications chief, Alastair Campbell. Kelly said he could neither confirm nor deny this name but felt obliged to give some form of answer and so said "maybe", she said. The inquiry was also told that UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was at a key meeting which agreed the circumstances in which the defense ministry would publicly name Kelly. Hoon's special adviser Richard Taylor told the inquiry that the so-called "naming strategy" had been discussed at the regular morning media meeting in the Secretary of State's office on July 9. At the end of meeting they had discussed a plan to confirm Dr Kelly's identity if journalists put the right name to them.
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