Hutton recalls Hoon to inquiry
Lord Hutton has announced that he is recalling Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, Downing Street press chief Alastair Campbell and BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan to give evidence to his inquiry for a second time.
The Hutton Inquiry into the death of Ministry of Defence scientist Dr David Kelly moved into the second stage this morning following a ten-day break.
Explaining how the second stage of the inquiry would work, counsel James Dingemans QC warned people not to read too much into the list of recalled witnesses.
He also produced a list of 15 questions the inquiry needs to address in the next two weeks of hearings.
Today’s witnesses include BBC director general Greg Dyke, who will be asked about the BBC reports on the government’s September dossier on Iraq arms.
In a report by defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan, broadcast on the Today programme, he alleged that a ‘source’ had told him that the government ‘sexed up’ the dossier to provide a stronger case for war.
Dr Kelly apparently committed suicide after he was named as the BBC’s ‘source’.
Witnesses to appear at the Royal Courts of Justice today also include Air Marshal Sir Joe French, former chief of defence intelligence at the Ministry of Defence and his former deputy, Tony Cragg.
Lord Hutton had previously announced that he would be recalling anyone who was likely to come in for criticism in his report. But, he stressed, this did not mean that all the witnesses that gave evidence for a second time would be criticised. Some of the witnesses will be asked to clear up inconsistencies arising in the first stage of the proceedings.
Intelligence chiefs, senior BBC executives and MoD officials are also on the list unveiled today.
The Hutton Inquiry adjourns on September 25th, after which Lord Hutton will write his report.
