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CNN Live Sunday
Late David Kelly Was BBC's Source for Blair Credibility Story
Aired July 20, 2003 - 16:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: And as British prime minister, Tony Blair, struggles with his own credibility problems over weapons in Iraq, the British Broadcasting Corporation says, yes, the late bioweapons expert, David Kelly, was its source for a story claiming Blair's government exaggerated Iraq's weapons capability. CNN's Jim Bolden now on the latest twist to Kelly's death.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BOLDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The British government has said all along that Dr. David Kelly was probably the main government source for the BBC, when it claims that a high-level intelligence official told the BBC that the government sexed up claims about Iraq's weapons to justify going to war. Prime Minister Blair's office said weapons adviser, Kelly, was not senior enough to know what went into Blair's speeches and denied the allegation outright and said the BBC should apologize. Under intense pressure following the suicide of Dr. Kelly, the BBC has admitted Kelly was the principal source, but it's sticking by its reporting.
RICHARD SAMBROOK, BBC NEWS DIRECTOR: Having now informed Dr. Kelly's family, we can confirm that Dr. Kelly was the principal source for both Andrew Gilligan's report and for Susan Watts' reports on "Newsnight" on June the 2 and 4. The BBC believes we accurately interpreted and reported the factual information obtained by us during interviews with Dr. Kelly.
BOLDEN: The war between the BBC and the government has been going on since, and led to Dr. Kelly being forced out into the open by the government after he admitted to his bosses that he was a source for the BBC. But Kelly said during heated testimony before a parliamentary committee last week that he did not see himself as the main source and denied making claims the government exaggerated its dossier on Iraq weapons.
Then, two days later, the former U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq walked out of his house and was found dead on Friday of an apparent suicide. "The New York Times" reports that Kelly e-mailed one of its reporters just before he left his house and wrote of, quote, "many dark actors playing games". Friends and colleagues say he did not like the intense scrutiny and preferred his role as a behind-the- scenes analyst.
GARTH WHITTY, FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR: He was very experienced, very expert in his field, and very focused, and given an objective, worked very hard to realize that objective. But he wasn't someone who sought the limelight at all. BOLDEN: The BBC says it will hand over its notes of its interviews with Dr. Kelly to a senior judge now looking into events leading up to his suicide.
BOLDEN (on camera): The inquiry will look into the pressures on Dr. Kelly from his employer, the government, to the media speculation surrounding his role in the crisis. But now it will also look to see if the BBC exaggerated its reporting or whether Dr. Kelly told reporters things he could not possibly know. Jim Bolden, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Story>
Aired July 20, 2003 - 16:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: And as British prime minister, Tony Blair, struggles with his own credibility problems over weapons in Iraq, the British Broadcasting Corporation says, yes, the late bioweapons expert, David Kelly, was its source for a story claiming Blair's government exaggerated Iraq's weapons capability. CNN's Jim Bolden now on the latest twist to Kelly's death.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BOLDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The British government has said all along that Dr. David Kelly was probably the main government source for the BBC, when it claims that a high-level intelligence official told the BBC that the government sexed up claims about Iraq's weapons to justify going to war. Prime Minister Blair's office said weapons adviser, Kelly, was not senior enough to know what went into Blair's speeches and denied the allegation outright and said the BBC should apologize. Under intense pressure following the suicide of Dr. Kelly, the BBC has admitted Kelly was the principal source, but it's sticking by its reporting.
RICHARD SAMBROOK, BBC NEWS DIRECTOR: Having now informed Dr. Kelly's family, we can confirm that Dr. Kelly was the principal source for both Andrew Gilligan's report and for Susan Watts' reports on "Newsnight" on June the 2 and 4. The BBC believes we accurately interpreted and reported the factual information obtained by us during interviews with Dr. Kelly.
BOLDEN: The war between the BBC and the government has been going on since, and led to Dr. Kelly being forced out into the open by the government after he admitted to his bosses that he was a source for the BBC. But Kelly said during heated testimony before a parliamentary committee last week that he did not see himself as the main source and denied making claims the government exaggerated its dossier on Iraq weapons.
Then, two days later, the former U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq walked out of his house and was found dead on Friday of an apparent suicide. "The New York Times" reports that Kelly e-mailed one of its reporters just before he left his house and wrote of, quote, "many dark actors playing games". Friends and colleagues say he did not like the intense scrutiny and preferred his role as a behind-the- scenes analyst.
GARTH WHITTY, FORMER WEAPONS INSPECTOR: He was very experienced, very expert in his field, and very focused, and given an objective, worked very hard to realize that objective. But he wasn't someone who sought the limelight at all. BOLDEN: The BBC says it will hand over its notes of its interviews with Dr. Kelly to a senior judge now looking into events leading up to his suicide.
BOLDEN (on camera): The inquiry will look into the pressures on Dr. Kelly from his employer, the government, to the media speculation surrounding his role in the crisis. But now it will also look to see if the BBC exaggerated its reporting or whether Dr. Kelly told reporters things he could not possibly know. Jim Bolden, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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