Blair says expert's death a 'tragedy'

David Kelly gave evidence to MPs earlier this week

The apparent death of Iraq weapons expert Dr David Kelly is an "absolutely terrible tragedy", Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.

Police are expected to confirm on Saturday that a body found at an Oxfordshire beauty spot on Friday is that of Dr Kelly.

The government has said that if this confirmation is given, an independent judicial inquiry will be held into the circumstances of the Ministry of Defence adviser's death.

Mr Blair said he was profoundly saddened for Mr Kelly and his family and called for politicians and the media to show "respect and restraint".

"He was a fine public servant who did an immense amount of good for his country in the past and I'm sure would have done so again in the future," said Mr Blair.

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Dr Kelly, 59, had been caught up in a row between the BBC and the government about the use of intelligence reports in the run-up to the war with Iraq.

A body matching his description was found at 0920 BST in a wooded area at Harrowdown Hill, near Faringdon, after his family had reported him missing on Thursday night.

A post mortem examination was carried out overnight on Friday at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

The prime minister said on Saturday that the planned independent inquiry "should be allowed to establish the facts" surrounding the death.

"I hope we can set aside the speculation and the claims and the counter-claims and allow that due process to take its proper course," he added.

The prime minister was speaking in Tokyo, where he was meeting his Japanese counterpart on the first leg of a tour of the Far East.

'Shocked'

He was told of the death while en route from Washington to the Japanese capital.

Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said Mr Blair should consider cutting short his trip.

Officials stressed the inquiry would not be the wide-ranging investigation into the run-up to the war urged by opposition MPs.

It will be headed by a law lord - Lord Hutton - and is expected to take a matter of weeks not months.

BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti says it is likely to look at Dr Kelly's contact with journalists, as well as how and why his name got into the public domain.

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Dr Kelly had earlier this week appeared before the Commons foreign affairs select committee as part of its inquiry into the use of intelligence in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

He told MPs he had spoken to BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan, but denied he was the main source for a story about claims that a dossier on Iraq had been "sexed up" to boost public support for military action.

Commons foreign affairs committee chairman Donald Anderson defended the questioning by MPs.

"If it was strong, the criticisms appear to be more directed against the Ministry of Defence, rather than against him," he said.

"I concede of course it was wholly outside his normal experience, therefore must have certainly been an ordeal for him."

Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay apologised for "any stress" his combative questioning at the hearing had "unintentionally" caused Dr Kelly.

Dr Kelly's local MP Robert Jackson said the BBC should have confirmed that the government adviser was not the main source for the BBC story.

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"The pressure was significantly increased by the fact the BBC refused to make it clear he was not the source," said the Tory MP for Wantage.

A BBC spokesman said: "We are shocked and saddened to hear what has happened and we extend our deepest sympathies to Dr Kelly's family and friends."

Dr Kelly left his home in Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, about 1500 BST on Thursday, and was reported missing at 2345 BST.

The body was found lying on the ground, just a few miles from Dr Kelly's home.

Police said the case was being treated as an "unexplained death".

TV journalist and family friend Tom Mangold said he had spoken to Mr Kelly's wife, Janice.

He said: "She told me he had been under considerable stress.

"She didn't use the word depressed, but she said he was very very stressed and unhappy about what had happened and this was really not the kind of world he wanted to live in."

Dr Kelly and his wife have three daughters Sian, 32, and 30-year-old twins Rachel and Ellen.