Timeline: British Gov't Dossier Controversy
Friday, July 18, 2003
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Key dates in the controversy over the British government dossier on Iraq weapons:
Sept. 24: Government publishes dossier claiming Iraq could deploy some chemical and biological weapons within 45 minutes notice, and that it had sought uranium in Africa.
May 29: British Broadcasting Corp. (search) defense correspondent Andrew Gilligan reports a senior British official claims the September dossier was "sexed up" to make a more convincing case for military action.
June 1: Gilligan, writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, says Prime Minister Tony Blair's (search) director of communications, Alastair Campbell, was responsible for adding the 45-minute claim.
June 19: Gilligan testifies before House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (search).
June 25: Campbell appears before committee, denies adding material to dossier and demands apology from BBC.
July 7: Committee, on a party-line vote, says Campbell did not add material to dossier.
July 8: Anonymous Ministry of Defense official acknowledges meeting Gilligan to discuss dossier, but denies mentioning Campbell.
July 9: Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon, in a letter to the BBC, identifies the official as David Kelly, a weapons adviser.
July 15: Kelly tells Foreign Affairs Committee he believes he was not the source of Gilligan's report, but confirms that they met.
July 17: Gilligan recalled to private session of Foreign Affairs Committee. Chairman Donald Anderson said Gilligan was an "unsatisfactory witness" who changed his story; Gilligan rejects charge.
Late that night, Kelly was reported missing.
July 18: Body, tentatively identified as Kelly, found in woods near his home.
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