Kelly briefed a second journalist on dossier

[tinnypriv]

Kelly briefed a second journalist on dossier
The Telegraph, July 21 2003

Dr David Kelly told a second BBC journalist that the Government had "sexed up" an intelligence dossier on Iraq's weapons capability, it emerged yesterday.

Confirmation that the MoD scientist briefed Susan Watts, Newsnight's science editor, is believed to have been a decisive factor in the corporation's decision to reveal that Dr Kelly was the source for Andrew Gilligan's report on the Today programme.

In a report shown on Newsnight on June 3, four days after Gilligan's, Watts echoed her colleague's central allegation - that in order to bolster the case for war, Downing Street seized on the "uncorroborated" claim that Iraq could deploy its weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.

In her report, Watts quotes an unnamed official as saying: "It was a statement that was made and it just got out of all proportion.

"They were desperate for information, and they were pushing hard for information which could be released. That was one that popped up and it was seized on and it's unfortunate that it was."

The corporation has stressed that Gilligan and Watts worked independently. However, BBC executives have long suspected that both reports may inadvertently have been based on the same source.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/07/21/nbeeb21.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/07/21/ixnewstop.html

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Also see: How three reporters came to the same conclusion (Telegraph)

[annagull]

1. Ha! Now what will the Blairites do?

This coming from the Torygraph even! The plot thickens once again.

[JNelson6563]

2. Now if only Greg Palast

were to come forward with an interview with Kelly.....

;-)

Julie

[DUreader]

3. So Kelly was getting around, was it on advice of Judith Miller?

Maybe he was a double agent. UN inspectors were infiltrated.

Is JM a pnac pusher, trying to bring down Blair?

[DUreader]

4. kick

[Tinoire]

5. Well!

[whatelseisnew]

6. So does this let the BBC off the hook?

?

[dArKeR]

7. Was Kelly Murdered? Why haven't I've seen any polls ask this question?

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/