(UK) Spy chief: 45 minutes Iraq WMD claim should not have been published

[sabra]

Source: this is london

The infamous "45 minutes" claim about Saddam Hussein's alleged WMD should "never" have been published by the Government, Tony Blair's former intelligence chief has warned.

Sir David Omand, the Intelligence and Security Co-ordinator at the height of the war, is the most senior former member of the Blair team to criticise the decision to include the claim in the Downing Street dossier on Iraq's weapons.

Sir David made clear MI6 and other intelligence agents were "reluctant" to publish sensitive material because of security fears.

The former Cabinet Office official, who gave evidence to the Iraq inquiry today, was quizzed about his role in drafting the dossier and overseeing other intelligence in the run-up to war in 2003.

But the Standard can reveal Sir David has made clear his private views on the issue in a book by academic Anthony Glees in which he is quoted as saying the MI6 intelligence report on the 45 minutes claim was "taken as colour" to back up the wider case that Saddam posed a threat.

Read more: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23797458-spy-chief-sir-david-omand-45-minutes-iraq-wmd-claim-should-not-have-gone-in-dossier.do

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. It should have never been published, not because it was sensitive info -

but because it was a fucking lie.

[Zoeisright]

2. Gee, what a comfort to the hundreds of thousands of dead people

and their families. Thanks to Cheney/Chimp/Rumsfeld and the gullible American press.