Posted on 09/18/2003 8:58:51 AM PDT by alnitak
A computer expert has pointed to "seeming anomalies" on the handheld computer BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan used to record his conversation with Dr David Kelly.
The weapons expert's apparent suicide came after he was named as the suspected source for Mr Gilligan's story about the government "sexing up" intelligence in its Iraq weapons dossier.
Forensic computer expert Edward Wilding told the inquiry he was worried about why Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell's name did not appear in one of the memos on Mr Gilligan's Sharp personal organiser.
He had also found some experimentation with the computer.
"Somebody was looking at creating memos and seeing if dates and times could be changed," he said.
Campbell difference
Mr Wilding also said there was an anomaly on the day memos from different dates were stored in the computer - although the machine's manufacturer said that could be a natural effect.
There was another memo called "keely.txt", dated 21 May, which was different from the version of Mr Gilligan's notes of his Kelly conversation.
That memo had no mention of Mr Campbell - although a later dated memo did mention his name.
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THURSDAY'S WITNESSES
MoD personnel director Richard Hatfield
MoD director of news Pam Teare
Edward Wilding, director, Data Genetics Ltd
Professor A J Sammes, Centre for Forensic Computing, Cranfield University
BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan
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Mr Gilligan has said Dr Kelly said Mr Campbell was responsible for transforming the weapons dossier in the days before its publication.
The evidence came after two senior Ministry of Defence officials defended the way Dr Kelly was treated amid tough questioning from the dead scientist's family's lawyer.
In tense exchanges at the Hutton inquiry into Dr Kelly's death, MoD personnel director Richard Hatfield rejected claims that Dr David Kelly was misled about the way his government bosses were treating him.
Mr Hatfield said he had not appeared to be suffering more stress than usually expected from people facing questions from MPs and pressure from "modern media behaviour".
He also denied the scientist had not expected to be named as the source.
Too little notice?
Dr Kelly's name became public just over 24 hours after the MoD put out a press release saying an unnamed official had admitted meeting Mr Gilligan.
To go alongside the release, press officers were told in a "question and answer" sheet to confirm Dr Kelly's name if it was put to them by journalists.
 Teare: Press office has no welfare role
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Kelly family barrister Jeremy Gompertz QC asked MoD director of news Pam Teare why it had taken two hours for the MoD to tell Dr Kelly his name had been confirmed.
The MoD official, who said the press office had no welfare role itself, said the scientist had already been warned to consider staying with friends because of the amount of media interest in the story.
Asked about differences between different drafts of the Q&A sheet, she said they were trying to find the "fairest" way of dealing with a difficult situation where names were bandied around.
She said the third draft had dropped a sentence about telling Dr Kelly before he was named because she had learnt the scientist had been warned his name was likely to become public.
Ms Teare did not accept the confirmation strategy had produced a "guessing game" - that was something of journalists' own making.
Top MoD civil servant Sir Kevin Tebbit had authorised the Q&A, she added.
Support defence
Dr Kelly's widow Janice has said her husband felt totally let down and betrayed by the MoD.
Mr Hatfield was among officials who interviewed Dr Kelly twice about his BBC links.
In his evidence, Mr Hatfield said: "I was very surprised to hear that he thought we...betrayed him because I think we gave him a lot of support."
Inquiry counsel James Dingemans QC suggested "any fool" could have identified Dr Kelly from the MoD press release - but Mr Hatfield did not agreed.
 Dr Kelly's widow said he felt let down by the MoD
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"The public identification followed from his own act in talking to Mr Gilligan," said Mr Hatfield.
He denied suggestions from Mr Gompertz that Dr Kelly was left after his interviews with a "thoroughly misleading impression" of how he was being handled by his employers.
Dr Kelly had been told it was likely his name would become known, he said.
Care standards
Under tough questioning from Mr Gompertz, the personnel director stood by his claim that Dr Kelly was given "outstanding" care by the MoD.
He did not accept the scientist had been "wholly unaware" of the process or had not expected his name to become public.
And he defended the description of Dr Kelly as a "middle ranking" official, dismissing claims it had suited the government to play down his status.
Mr Hatfield told the inquiry it was a "fundamental failing" for Dr Kelly not to have reported his conversation with Mr Gilligan.
It was not enough for Dr Kelly to tell a Foreign Office official that he had met the BBC defence correspondent without giving details of what was said, he argued.
Mr Hatfield also denied claims the arrangements for reporting media contacts were a "muddle".
Oh dear.
Until we had FOX news and the itnernet, we too were fed lies by the media (and still are by many so-called news agencies). The people need to speak up and demand that their money not go to a biased organization such as the BBC and their ilk.
Simple: There exist no upstanding anti-war people.
However, speaking of an outcry, self-respecting pro-liberation people should demand an apology from the BBC for using false information in an attempt to manipulate them!
fyi
Thanks for the ping!
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