UK News 24-12-2003 Review of 2003: The Hutton Inquiry who: Weapons expert Dr David Kelly what: May or may not have told Andrew Gilligan that Downing Street had "sexed up" its paperwork - WTPS Review of 2003 when: 2003 snippet: Lord Hutton`s investigation of the events leading up to the death of former senior UN weapons inspector Dr David Kelly this summer were inextricably intertwined with the government`s quest to justify the war in Iraq. Dr Kelly`s family blamed the Ministry of Defence for failing to protect him from the glare of publicity - he was found dead, having apparently committed suicide, near to his Oxfordshire home in July. It emerged that prime minister Tony Blair and defence secretary Geoff Hoon were involved in the decision to expose Dr Kelly as the insider who told BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan that Downing Street had "sexed up" its intelligence dossier in order to make Saddam Hussein appear more threatening. The notion that Iraq might be able to launch long-range weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes was discussed at length in the High Court. Alastair Campbell, the prime minister`s press secretary, resigned as the inquiry drew to a close. Lord Hutton`s report will be published in the new year. [... more]

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