Police Confirm UK Scientist Died of Slit Wrist

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | Saturday, July 19, 2003 | By Peter Graff and Katherine Baldwin

[Momaw Nadon]

LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - British police revealed on Saturday that a scientist at the center of a row over the government's justification for war in Iraq had died of a slit wrist, leaving little doubt he had taken his own life.

A haggard Prime Minister Tony Blair urged the media on a visit to Tokyo to "set aside the speculation and the claims and the counter-claims" over the death of Dr David Kelly, a Defense Ministry weapons expert.

Kelly was named as a possible "mole" for a news story saying aides to Blair -- who has staked his career on his decision to join the U.S.-led war -- hyped intelligence about Iraq's suspected weapons of mass destruction to justify the war.

Kelly's family made clear they wanted officials to shoulder the blame for driving him to despair.

"Events over recent weeks have made David's life intolerable and all of those involved should reflect long and hard over that fact," they said in a statement read out by police.

The New York Times said Kelly, a former United Nation's weapons inspector, had e-mailed a reporter before he went missing, describing "many dark actors playing games."

The paper's reporter believed Kelly meant officials with whom he had often disagreed over intelligence assessments.

Blair has ordered an inquiry into the death, but opposition Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith said the probe should cover all aspects of how the government argued for war. He called for parliament to be recalled to launch the probe.

Glenda Jackson, a former minister from Blair's Labour Party, said the prime minister "should bite the bullet and resign."

Blair himself stayed silent when a reporter in Japan asked: "Have you got blood on your hands Mr. Prime Minister? Are you going to resign over this?"

Police said Kelly's body was found with a slit left wrist on Friday at a wooded spot near one of his favorite hiking trails, with a knife and a bottle of painkillers. There was no evidence anybody else was involved, they said.

SUCKED INTO DEBATE

Kelly became embroiled in the row over the justification for war after the government said he might be the source for a BBC radio report that said officials had "sexed up" intelligence about Iraq's suspected weapons.

He was grilled by parliament over the affair on Tuesday and admitted speaking to journalists but denied making allegations against Blair's officials.

The scientist seemed shell-shocked at the hearings, where lawmakers called him a "fall guy," put forward to shield senior officials from blame.

His boss, Defense Minister Geoff Hoon, said the ministry had observed "proper procedures" in handling the affair.

"I am certainly aware that a great deal of effort was made by the Ministry of Defense to support Dr Kelly. Sadly that has not been sufficient in these circumstances," he said.

But when asked by a reporter whether he felt personal responsibility, Hoon was clearly rattled.

"I, and I know many others, have spent the last 24 hours trying to replay these terrible events in order to try and see whether something could have been done to avoid this tragedy. All I can say is that I will cooperate fully with the inquiry."

The BBC report said a senior intelligence official had accused Blair's communications chief Alastair Campbell of ordering intelligence to be sensationalized.

The BBC declined again on Saturday to say whether Kelly was the source.

Some newspapers said the government had forced Kelly to come forward to clear "spin doctor" Campbell's name.

"Spun to Death," said the Daily Mirror.

Robert Jackson, member of parliament for Kelly's district, criticized the BBC, saying if Kelly was not the source, the broadcaster should have said so to clear his name. If he was the source, then he may have been misquoted, Jackson said.

[Momaw Nadon]

FYI and discussion

[Cathryn Crawford]

I may not agree with Blair in his social policies, but if there is one thing I have thought him to be - even if misled or wrong - is connected to a deep passion within himself. It's hard to explain. All these who talk of him being "crazy" or "nuts" - I don't think it's craziness. I think it's passion. What it's based in, I don't know.

After observing him for a long time, it seems that he feels things deeply, whether they be good or bad.

[The KG9 Kid]

It's near impossible to make suicide by slit wrists look like murder, isn't it?

[squidly]

It's near impossible to make suicide by slit wrists look like murder, isn't it?

Pretty darn tough. There are certainly easier ways to stage a suicide, or make it look like natural causes, i.e. heart attack. At least that's what the John le Carre novels tell me.:-)

[steve50]

It's near impossible to make suicide by slit wrists look like murder, isn't it?

I wouldn't see why. Considering pain killers were found at the scene it could have been quite easy to assist Mr. Kelly out of this world.

[habs4ever]

The Tories have been acting like chumps since the War began and IDS ought to cut it out.I expected they'd not behave like Chomsky's, but they are, even over this matter.

[glock rocks]

heck yes... lot's easier to prove that wrist slitting was suicide than 3 self inflicted arkancide shotgun blasts to the back of the head!

otoh, maybe he did off himself.

what really tilts my head though, is the constant drumbeat... the leftists cookbook... he was depressed - he was despondent - he was... um, his wife said he was normal. his friends said he walked with the family. they're being ignored by the media. listen to the drumbeat. the more I hear the thumps, the more it reeks.

[AppyPappy]

You can fake any suicide. Thw question is "Who did it?".

[Tacis]

Hey! Weren't agents 003, 008, and 009 in town this week? You know what they are licensed to do!

Of course, I think the BBC arranged to have him murdered so he wouldn't be able to detract from what they had printed. They probably have their own guys on staff but could have hired from Willie the guy who did Foster.

[Glenn]

Since guns are outlawed, I guess slitting the wrists and overdosing would be a good second choice. I'll play pop-psychologist here and suggest the slitting would release a lot of anger from one who is normally docile.

[AntiGuv]

Slitting someone else's wrists releases a lot of anger; slitting your own releases a lot of despair.......

[Glenn]

slitting your own releases a lot of despair.......

I bow to your analysis.

[CARDINALRULES]

Odd...slitting wrists has always been more of a womans' way of checking out.

Wonder if it was the usual across the wrist or the quicker and "better" length-wise cut.

[EGPWS]

You can fake any suicide. The question is "Who did it?".

Weren't one, both, or all three "Clintons" in Great Britain recently? ;)

[steplock]

I admire the Brits! When caught in a lie or act of treason - they have the honor of taking themselves out!

If only the clintoons would follow suit!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

little doubt? I've got plenty of doubt. Let's see if those painkillers were actually in his system.

[P-Marlowe]

I would agree this is suspicious. Men either blow their brains out or hang themselves. If men slit anything they are most likely to take a large knife and slice their throats from ear to ear. The wrist thing is a little bit odd for a man. I think it is quite possible he was unconscious when his wrists were being slit.

[hoosiermama]

DO hope there is a full autopsy to see if any thing else was in his blood stream.

[dr_who_2]

If their morticians take such a long time to figure out the cause of death, no wonder they don't have any good data on Iraqi WMD's.

[Mo1]

The New York Times said Kelly, a former United Nation's weapons inspector, had e-mailed a reporter before he went missing, describing "many dark actors playing games."

Kelly emailed the NYT before offing himself??