David Keogh& Leo O'Connor secret trial for leaking Downing Street Memo sends both to jail

[papau]

http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/1768

We (Tariq Ali and Davide Simonetti on Democracy Now) have been trying to make sense of what has come out of the trial of David Keogh, and Leo O'Connor, sentenced yesterday for 3 and 6 months respectively for the leaking of the al-Lazeera Memo. Obviously, 'events'* have rather taken over the story. Some of what we know has been confirmed by the trial, but some things we thought we knew have become less clear.

What we do know for certain is that two men are tonight in prison, after a trial held largely in secret after being mercilessly pursued by a government in a futile attempt to protect what is left of the reputations of George Bush and Tony Blair. Not only are we prevented from learning about what was disclosed in camera, but even comments made in open court, and information already in the public domain are the subject of a gagging order.<snip>

[pnwmom]

1. K & R

[Peace Patriot]

2. They're lucky to be alive, I guess. I think David Kelly was assassinated for very

similar whistleblowing--on the "sexed up" pre-war WMD intel, but possibly for something else he knew and might have disclosed. I'm surprised that so few people notice the startling coincidence of dates between the Plame/Brewster-Jennings outings and David Kelly's fate. He began whistleblowing just before Joseph Wilson (late May 2003, to the BBC), was interrogated in a "safe house" and threatened with the Official Secrets Act (the offense of the two currently imprisoned), in the first week of July 2003; on July 7, Tony Blair was informed that Kelly "could say some uncomfortable things" (COULD say, not "had said"); Valerie Plame was outed a week later, on July 14 (by Novak); Kelly was found dead, under highly suspicious circumstances, on July 18; his office and computers were searched, and then--quite interestingly--four days later, on July 22, Novak ADDITIONALLY outed the entire Brewster-Jennings network of covert agents/contacts in foreign governments whose job was to prevent WMDs from getting into the wrong hands.

What Kelly was saying (to the BBC) about the WMD intel was not much different than what everybody else (with any sense) was saying--that the threat had been exaggerated. So, IF he was killed (and I'm about 99% that he was), why was he killed? It seems a good guess that he knew something more (the "uncomfortable things" that he "could say"). What was it?

One of the better speculations is that he had found out about a scheme to PLANT the WMDs in Iraq (probably nukes, as followup to the Niger forgeries). If so, then the real story of the dirt behind this war may lay in who FOILED that scheme (since, obviously, no WMDs were found).

And THAT could really and truly piss off some fascist warmongers. Not just an op-ed. Not just a leaked memo. Not just exaggerated intel reported by the BBC. But the foiling of their Grand Scheme to Rule the World!

[papau]

3. On the ground reports at the time of thw WMD planting attempt died the usual media death - but

the contract truckers that spilled the beans are heros - given the fact that over 200 such truckers have died "on the job", I suspect first hand interviews of those folks will never be available.

Our governments play hard ball in behalf of the rich and corporate that control them - masking it in patriotism so that otherwise good folks at the CIA will carry out the assigned task.

[papau]

4. In the title "Downing Street Memo" should be in quotes as the actual al-Jazeera Memo is crime n/t

n/t

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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