UK: DAVID KELLY

Independet: Kelly Believed 45-Minute Claim 'Risible', Says Friend

Tony Blair's claim that Saddam Hussein could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes was so far-fetched that Dr David Kelly laughed out loud when discussing it, the Hutton inquiry heard yesterday.

Tom Mangold, a journalist and friend of Dr Kelly, revealed that the scientist had described the claim as "risible" because it appeared to conflict with his knowledge of weapons. Mr Mangold said Dr Kelly had told him that chemical and biological weapons could not be deployed or activated within 45 minutes because it took much longer to fill munitions with the respective agents. "He just laughed about the 45-minute claim," Mr Mangold said.

The evidence came as Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, faced fresh controversy over his own involvement in the Government's strategy to confirm Dr Kelly's identity to journalists. Mr Hoon said last week that he had been merely "aware" of the highly unusual decision to name Dr Kelly and implied that civil servants had approved the idea. But Richard Taylor, Mr Hoon's special adviser, told the inquiry that the Defence Secretary had chaired a meeting at which the strategy was finally authorised.