MI6 chief defends dossier claim

Sir Richard Dearlove gave evidence via audio link

One of Britain's top spymasters has defended as "reliable" the controversial claim that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.

Sir Richard Dearlove, who heads intelligence agency MI6, gave evidence via audio link to the Hutton inquiry into the death of government scientist David Kelly.

He was confident the intelligence was accurate but in hindsight, and given the way it was "misinterpreted", he acknowledged the 45-minute claim might have been given "undue prominence".

KEY WITNESSES Tuesday: Pathologist Mr Hunt; MoD deputy chief defence intelligence Martin Howard Wednesday: BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan; BBC news director Richard Sambrook Thursday: MoD personnel director Richard Hatfield; MoD permanent secretary Sir Kevin Tebbit Monday 22nd: Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon; Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell Tuesday 23rd: Prime minister's official spokesman Tom Kelly and Godric Smith; Joint Intelligence Committee chairman John Scarlett; BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies Wednesday 24th: Dr Kelly's MoD line manager Bryan Wells Thursday 25th: Closing submissions Full witness list Questions for Hutton Dyke criticises Gilligan e-mails

The inquiry resumed after a 10-day break on Monday by revealing that Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, Downing Street press chief Alastair Campbell and BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan will be among witnesses to be cross-examined in its second stage.

Intelligence chiefs, senior BBC executives and MoD officials are also on the list to be grilled.

Giving evidence on Monday, BBC director general Greg Dyke defended the BBC report on claims that the government "sexed up" intelligence in last September's Iraq dossier.

But he criticised the journalist behind the story, Andrew Gilligan, for appearing to name Dr Kelly as the source for another BBC report on concerns over the dossier.

And he said the corporation should have launched a full investigation into the report rather than quickly write a letter responding to government complaints.

I am confident that the intelligence was accurate and that the use made of it was entirely consistent with the original report Sir Richard Dearlove Witness: The word from MI6

Dr Kelly apparently committed suicide after being named as the government's suspected source for the story.

The scientist reportedly told BBC correspondent Mr Gilligan the 45-minute claim had been inserted at the behest of Downing Street against the wishes of the intelligence agencies.

MI6 chief Sir Richard said the intelligence about the 45 minutes had first come to his attention when it was reported towards the end of August last year.

"It did come from an established and reliable source equating a senior Iraqi military officer who was certainly in a position to know this information," he told the inquiry.

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Sir Richard said he had not seen a memo from an MoD intelligence official raising concerns about the 45-minutes claim.

But he did not agree with its suggestion that the claim was too strongly put in the dossier.

However, he said, it could be argued that it was given undue prominence given "the misinterpretation that was placed on the 45 minute intelligence, with the benefit of hindsight you can say that is a valid criticism.

"But I am confident that the intelligence was accurate and that the use made of it was entirely consistent with the original report."

Explaining the misinterpretation, Sir Richard said the original intelligence report had referred to chemical and biological weapons - which intelligence assessment staff had taken to refer to battlefield weapons.

MONDAY'S WITNESSES Air Marshal Sir Joe French Former chief of defence intelligence Tony Cragg Former deputy chief of defence intelligence Security staff Dr Richard Scott Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Greg Dyke Director General, BBC Profile: Greg Dyke Profile: Air Marshal Sir Joe French

But what had happened with the dossier was that it was thought by readers that the 45 minutes claim was taken to refer to long range weapons, he said.

Sir Richard said he had been "shocked" to hear that Dr Kelly, with whom MI6 had been in contact from time-to-time, had discussed an MI6 report with a journalist without authorisation.

Sir Richard said the scientist's assertion, made to BBC Newsnight's Susan Watts, that officials had been "desperate for information" in the days before the dossier's publication was "off the mark".

He also revealed he had proposed a vote of thanks for Joint Intelligence Committee chairman John Scarlett for the way he had handled the dossier.

Over-egged?

Earlier on Monday former deputy chief of defence intelligence at the Ministry of Defence Tony Cragg said there had been some unhappiness among DIS staff about language used in the dossier.

But when he discussed the worries with the assessment staff at the Cabinet Office, he was told MI6 were satisfied there was a reliable source for the claim that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.

Mr Cragg said the intelligence on the 45-minute claim "did not go into great detail ... on the types of weapons" but was still "perfectly reputable".

Brian Jones, the manager of some DIS scientists, had told the inquiry during its first phase there were worries that claims had been "over-egged" in the dossier.

But Mr Cragg said only a small circle, which had not included Dr Jones, had seen the relevant intelligence.