Blair, Hoon to testify next week before Iraq inquiry

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030821/wl_afp/britain_iraq_inquiry&cid=1512&ncid=1473

LONDON (AFP) - Prime Minister Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will testify next week before an inquiry into the presumed suicide of an arms expert at the centre of claims Britain embellished its case for war on Iraq, the judge presiding over the probe said.

Blair will give evidence to the inquiry into the death of government scientist David Kelly next Thursday, a day after Hoon is set to appear, judge Brian Hutton announced.

Members of Kelly's family will give evidence on September 1.

The death of Kelly in July came after the defence ministry named him as the likely source of a BBC report that alleged Blair's office "sexed up" intelligence on Iraq's weapons potential in a government dossier ahead of the US-led war.

more