Body found in Iraq expert search


Mr Kelly arriving to give evidence to MPs this week
Police searching for the weapons expert named as the possible source for a BBC story on Iraq say they have discovered a body.
The body was found at 0920 BST by a member of the police team searching for Dr Kelly in a wooded area at Harrow Down Hill, near Farringdon, Oxfordshire, but has not yet been identified.

Government adviser David Kelly, 59, went missing from his home in Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, at about 1500 BST on Thursday.

Earlier this week, Dr Kelly denied being the BBC's main source for a story claiming Downing Street had "sexed up" a dossier about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

He appeared before the Commons foreign affairs committee on Tuesday.

Acting superintendent Dave Purnell, of Thames Valley Police, said: "What I would ask is because of the considerable amount of media interest is that the family are treated with respect and are not contacted at this time.

"We haven't ruled anything out yet. Clearly there are people at the scene now and there is no further information as to the body that has been found apart from to say it is a male.

"This is clearly a sensitive inquiry at the moment. The family of Dr David Kelly have been aware of what the police have been doing in relation to the search for him."

Superintendent Purnell said the search for Dr Kelly continues with the police helicopter and around 70 officers.

He said the official's family were aware that a body had been found. A police family liasion officer is with them.

Dr Kelly's family contacted the police when he failed to return home by 2345 BST on Thursday.


Description

Huge media attention has been on Dr Kelly since the Ministry of Defence said he had admitted meeting Andrew Gilligan, the BBC correspondent behind the controversial Iraq story.

Police say he is an avid walker and has good local knowledge of the many footpaths surrounding his home.

SEARCH FOR DAVID KELLY

1500 BST: Told wife going for a walk near their home
2345 BST: Police informed he is missing
Last seen: Clothed in off-white cotton shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes


Timeline: Row over BBC report
His disappearance and failure to make contact with anyone was described by his family as 'out of character'.

Initial searches of the house, outbuildings and grounds of the property were completed in the early hours of Friday.

Checks of local hospitals have also shown no trace of Dr Kelly.

Dr Kelly is 5ft 8ins, of slim build and with grey receding hair and a white well-trimmed beard.

He has green/grey eyes and was last seen wearing an off-white cotton shirt possibly striped, blue jeans, with a brown leather belt and brown shoes.

Police number

He is not used to the media glare, he is not used to the intense spotlight he has been put under

Richard Ottaway
Tory MP


Row over Gilligan evidence
Acting superintendent Purnell said: "Due to the bad weather and the fact it is unlikely he was wearing a coat he would have been distinctive and people who may have seen him in the area are urged to contact police as soon as possible."

Anyone who feels they may have information that can help in tracing Dr Kelly should call 08458 505 505.


A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "We are aware that Dr David Kelly has gone missing and we are obviously concerned."

She stressed the disappearance inquiry was being handled by police, not by the MoD.

Downing Street says it is "very concerned about news that David Kelly has gone missing". A spokesman said thoughts were with Dr Kelly's family.

Number 10 says "normal personal procedures" were followed after Dr Kelly volunteered that he might have been the source.


David Kelly left his home on Thursday afternoon
There were five days between his admission about talking to Mr Gilligan and the MoD's statement about the possible source, said the spokesman.

The statement did not name him, but it was made clear to Dr Kelly, said the spokesman, that his name was likely to become public knowledge because he was one of only a small number of people it could have been about.

After questioning Dr Kelly earlier this week, the Commons foreign affairs select committee said it was "most unlikely" he was the main source for the BBC story.

And they said Dr Kelly, who has worked as a weapons inspector in Iraq, had been "poorly treated" by the government - a charge strongly rejected by the MoD.

Confidence

Everyone who knows him and his family will be very concerned

Donald Anderson
Foreign affairs committee


Profile: Dr David Kelly
Committee chairman Donald Anderson told the BBC his "heart went out" to Dr Kelly's family as the search for the official goes on.

"He came across as someone rather relaxed before the committee," he said.

"There was some suggestion he might have someone alongside him to give him confidence but he rejected that.

"He seemed on top of it.

"Everyone who knows him and his family will be very concerned."

Another member of the committee, Tory John Maples told Sky News: "This must be very worrying for his friends and family and everyone associated with him."

He said it had seemed clear to the committee that Dr Kelly was not the main source of the BBC report.

'Intrusion'

He said the official "had nothing to fear" from the committee's inquiry and had been "badly treated" by the MoD.

"I don't think he was entirely happy giving evidence to a select committee...but he was pretty straightforward with us," said Mr Maples. "He seemed to me unhappy that had been put forward."

Tory MP Richard Ottaway, another committee member, said people like Dr Kelly are not used to the pressure faced by MPs on a day-to-day basis.

"He did give a hint of the pressure he was under when he said he was unable to get to his house at the moment because of the media intrusion," he said.

"He is not used to the media glare, he is not used to the intense spotlight he has been put under.

"I am concerned and our thoughts are with his family and friends. Let us hope here that nothing worse has happened than he has decided to take some time out and get away from the pressure."

The news comes after Mr Anderson accused Mr Gilligan of being an "unreliable witness" who had changed his story about the Iraq dossier claims when he met the committee in private on Thursday.

The BBC has rejected that suggestion, saying Mr Gilligan had been consistent throughout.