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t 3.00pm on 17 July, Dr David Kellywalked out of his home in Abingdon,Oxfordshire to a beauty spot he lovedcalled Harrowdown Hill. Mr Kelly’spassion was walking and he enjoyed

this particular site. At 11.45pm, his wife Janicewas concerned because he had failed to returnhome. A massive police search then took place,but it was not until 9.20am the next morning thatpolice found his body. Earlier, a local farmer hadspotted Mr Kelly wandering on a footpath; he wasa little puzzled, as he was usually accompanied byhis wife or three daughters.

For the man who had found Saddam’s anthrax andother weapons of mass destruction, it was a

dreadful way to say good-bye to the world. He hadclearly found it impossible to cope with thepressure being exerted from every direction.

A policeman found his body. Nearby, a knife and abox of Co-Proxamol tablets were discovered. Hehad severed the main artery on his left wrist andconsumed the tablets to ease the pain.

Two days later, the BBC announced that Dr DavidKelly was indeed the “main source” of AndrewGilligan’s story. Amazingly, its defence corre-spondent stuck by his story. Within hours the BBCfaced calls for resignations at the highest levels.Friends and colleagues of Dr Kelly said that if theCorporation had acknowledged Dr Kelly as the

primary source earlier, he would not have taken hisown life. The BBC then issued a statement sayingit “had accurately interpreted and reported” theinformation acquired from the weapons expert. Yethow could this be if Dr Kelly had dismissed anypossibility that he had made such statements. And“interpretation” is an tenuous word to use. Clearly,both parties cannot be telling the truth, and DrKelly can no longer give his version of events.Henceforth, the BBC must now admit it was wrongor tell the public who supplied it with the informa-tion. Many in the intelligence world are askingwhere the BBC got its “supporting evidence.”

Tom Mangold, a former senior journalist with theBBC’s Panorama programme and a friend of DrKelly, has made numerous appearances in themedia since the death of the scientist. He isfuming at the treatment of Dr Kelly and the fact thatit could easily have been avoided.

As for Dr Kelly’s questioning in Parliament, MrMangold probably spoke for much of the publicand intelligence world: “For a man like David Kelly,who had worked with the intelligence servicesaround the world, to sit there and be told he was aprat and a fall guy [for the MOD] was dreadful. Hewas an honourable, dedicated man. He volun-teered this information to his employers at the

MOD in the knowledge that he would probably gobefore a committee. He did not realise thecommittee would treat him with such contempt.”

Gerald Kaufman, another senior British politiciansaid: “The BBC behaved in a manner which atabloid newspaper might wonder about. None ofthis would have happened if it had not been for theBBC story.”

Most vociferous in his condemnation of the BBC,is Conservative and Dr Kelly’s constituency MP,David Jackson. He declared that the BBCChairman Gavyn Davies should resign, and thatBBC Director-General, Greg Dyke, should alsoconsider his position. Mr Jackson said that theBBC’s conduct had been appalling. “If they had

© LEPL Officers from Thames Valley Police guardthe entrance to the wood

DARK ACTORS PLAYING GAMES

Just before he died, Dr Kelly said he had been “putthrough the wringer” during meetings with theMOD. He also sent an e-mail to a New Yorkjournalist on the day he died saying there were“many dark actors playing games.”

An inquiry into the affair is being conducted byLord Hutton - most of which is being held inpublic.

• Eye Spy understands that the ‘45 minute’ claim actuallycame from a former Iraqi intelligence officer. However, webelieve that this man told government investigators thatSaddam could issue WMD orders to some of his units in 45minutes. This is not the same as ‘deploy’.

© LEPL The hearse carrying Dr Kelly’s body is escortedby MI5 officers and the police ALL PHOTOGRAPHS © LAW ENFORCEMENT PICTURE LIBRARY

THE FALL GUY DEATH OF A PRIVATE MAN WHO FOUND SADDAM’S ANTHRAX

Report in conjunction withLaw Enforcement Picture Library

The Charing Cross Hotel in central London. Itwas here that BBC defence correspondent

and Dr Kelly met

Amade this statement while Dr Kelly was alive, Ibelieve he would still be alive [Eye Spy emphasis]and I think the Chairman of the BBC Board ofGovernors should resign over this matter. I believeGavyn Davies knew Dr Kelly’s name and he clearlymisled his Governors in telling them that this was asenior intelligence source.”

He was also scathing of Andrew Gilligan. “Itseems quite clear that Mr Andrew Gilligansystematically invented a substantial part of hisvery damaging story.”

Ironically, when Dr Kelly was questioned by theForeign Affairs Select Committee, he was asked ifhe had learned any lessons from the affair. Hedeclared: “[I will] never to talk to a journalist again.”

“The BBC behaved ina manner which atabloid newspaper

might wonder about.None of this wouldhave happened if it

had not been for theBBC story...”