Dr David Kelly's family barrister has suggested at the Hutton inquiry that the dead scientist was treated "shabbily" by the Ministry of Defence.
Jeremy Gompertz QC also suggested the MoD had designed a "parlour game" for journalists to identify Dr Kelly as the suspected source for the BBC's Iraq dossier story.
Martin Howard, the MoD's deputy director of defence intelligence, rejected the charges as he insisted the government had not tried to covertly reveal Dr Kelly's identity to the media.
The inquiry into the scientist's death has heard from more than 60 witnesses already but Mr Howard was the first to face cross-examination from lawyers for the BBC, Dr Kelly's family or the government.
Dr Kelly's apparent suicide came after newspapers named him as the government's suspected source for BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan's report of claims that Downing Street "sexed up" last September's dossier on Iraqi weapons.
His identity emerged 24 hours after the MoD issued a press statement saying an unnamed official had come forward to admit meeting Mr Gilligan.
(more)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3111926.stm