Independent inquiry into weapons expert death
The Prime Minister has announced that the Ministry of Defence will hold an independent inquiry into the death of the weapons expert Dr David Kelly if the body found today proves to be his.
The Prime Minister was told of the news whilst on a flight from the US to Tokyo.
Dr Kelly was the weapons expert put at the centre of the row between the BBC and the Government on the source of Andrew Gilligan’s claim that the dossier on weapons of mass destruction had been ‘sexed up’.
Tony Blair stated that the MoD’s inquiry would be headed by a judge that would be announced at a later date. Mr Blair expressed his sympathy to the family of Dr Kelly.
It is yet unclear whether or not the inquiry would be judicial.
Superintendent Dave Purnell of Thames Valley police stated that a formal identification of the body discovered in woodlands in Oxfordshire near Dr Kelly’s home would take place tomorrow.
However, Supt Purnell stated that the description of the body fitted that of Dr Kelly who went missing when he went for a walk yesterday afternoon.
The death is being treated as ‘unexplained’ until a post mortem can be carried out later today and the forensic examination of the scene is completed. Supt Purnell said that it was too early to comment of the surrounding of the death.
