45-minute claim, a "bit of local colour"

[Hopeless Romantic]

Including the 45-minute claim in an intelligence dossier on Iraq's weapons was "asking for trouble", Tony Blair's former security coordinator has said.

Sir David Omand told the Iraq inquiry some intelligence figures were "queasy" about publishing intelligence details.

The 45-minute claim was put in late and was a "bit of local colour" the secret service would allow to be used.

And he said the government was warned that action in Iraq could draw "large numbers" to Islamic extremism.

Sir David, who was security and intelligence co-ordinator from 2002 to 2005, was asked about the September 2002 dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8471091.stm

[dipsydoodle]

1. And that bit of "local colour"

has led to how many deaths ?