Inquiry hears Kelly tape

Scientist David Kelly told a BBC journalist he was "uneasy" about a key government dossier on Iraqi weapons - but did not identify Downing Street communicat ions chief Alastair Campbell as the man who "sexed it up".

The dramatic revelations came as a tape recording of the weapons expert's voice was played to Lord Hutton's inquiry into his death.

The recording was of the conversation on 30 May between Dr Kelly and Newsnight science editor Susan Watts.

In the conversation, Dr Kelly said he was "uneasy" with the claim in the dossier that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction which could be fired within 45 minutes.

He suggested the intelligence services shared his "concern" but added that unnamed senior figures in the Government were "desperate for information which could be used".

Challenged by Watts about whether responsibility for the 45-minute claim lay with "Alastair Campbell himself" Dr Kelly replied: "I can't - all I can say is the No10 press office."

The tape recording contrasted starkly with earlier evidence provided by BBC defence cor respondent Andrew Gilligan, who told the inquiry Dr Kelly had claimed Mr Campbell was directly responsible.

Watts called Dr Kelly at his home on 30 May, the day after Gilligan's sensational report on Radio 4's Today programme.

As a hushed court 73 at the Royal Courts of Justice heard the 17-minute recording - much of it inaudible - Dr Kelly sounded relaxed and chatty and was clearly on first-name terms with Watts.

He appeared completely unaware of the storm which was set to engulf him and which led to his death last month after he was unmasked as Gilligan's source.

The tape recording did little to clarify confusion about how far Dr Kelly saw Mr Campbell as playing a key role in "sexing up" the dossier.

Dr Kelly told Watts he could not say Mr Campbell was personally responsible but he did identify the No10 press office and at one stage added: "I think Alastair Campbell is synonymous with the No 10 press office because he has responsibility for it."

Challenged on this by James Dingemans, QC, counsel to the inquiry, Watts said of Dr Kelly: "He was talking about No10 press office generically, as a group, rather than Alastair Campbell as an individual.

"To my mind he specifically denied that Alastair Campbell was responsible."

In the crucial exchange on the tape, Watts says: "OK, just back momentarily on the 45- minute issue ... I'm feeling like I ought to just explore that a little bit more with you. So would it be accurate, then, as you did in that earlier conversation, to say that it was Alastair Campbell himself who...?"

Dr Kelly: "No I can't. All I can say is the No10 press office ... I've never met Alastair Campbell, so I can't..."

Watts: "They seized on that."

Dr Kelly: "But...I think Alastair Campbell is synonymous with that press office because he's responsible for it."

Challenged on what Dr Kelly had meant by the 45-minute claim being "seized on", Watts replied that unnamed senior figures "saw it, pulled it out, highlighted it".

Earlier, on the 45-minute issue, Dr Kelly says: "It was a statement that was made and it just got out of all proportion. You know someone ... they were desperate for information-They were pushing hard for information that could be released.

"That was one that popped up and it was seized on and it was unfortunate that it was, which is why there is the argument between the intelligence services and Cabinet Office/ No10, because things were picked up on and once they've picked up on it you can't pull it back, that's the problem."

Watts asks him: "But it was against your advice that they should publish it."

Dr Kelly: "I would not go as strongly as to say that particular bit because I was not involved in the assessment of it. No, I can't say that it was against my advice.

"I was uneasy with it - I mean my problem was I could give other explanations which I've indicated to you that it was the time [45 minutes] to erect something like a Scud missile or it was the time to fill a 40-barrel, multibarrel rocket launcher.

"Forty-five minutes might well be important. I mean I have no idea who debriefed this guy. Quite often it's someone who has no idea of the topic and the information comes through and people then use it as they see fit."

Mr Campbell, on holiday in France, is set to give evidence when he returns. Also due to appear as witnesses are Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.