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Jul 18 2003 | ||
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By Ben Rankin | ||
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Police hunting for a missing government weapons expert named as the possible 'mole' for a BBC report on Iraq today found a body matching his appearance. Thames Valley Police said the male body was discovered in woodland at 9.20 this morning at Harrowdown Hill, about five miles from Dr Kelly's home in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The body found matched that of Dr Kelly, police said. A post-mortem examination was expected to take place tonight and formal identification of the body tomorrow. Police, who were treating the incident as an "unexplained death", passed on their condolences to Dr Kelly's family, friends and work colleagues. The Ministry of Defence said it would hold a judicial inquiry if the body was identified as that of Dr Kelly. Dr Kelly, 59, was reported missing by his family last night when he failed to return home after telling his wife he was going for a walk at 3pm yesterday. A huge police search was launched for the missing scientist, whose disappearance was said to be "out of character". Earlier this week, Dr Kelly denied being the BBC's main source for a story claiming Downing Street had "sexed up" a dossier about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
The story has been at the centre of an escalating row between the BBC and the Government. Dr Kelly faced tough questioning by MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committe on Tuesday. A Thames Valley Police spokesman said the body was found "off the beaten track" by a police search team "in an area popular with walkers". Earlier today police appealed for help from the public in tracing Dr Kelly. Acting Superintendent Dave Purnell, of Abingdon police, said: "We are concerned for Dr Kelly's welfare and need to hear from anyone who recalls seeing a man of this description in the area since yesterday afternoon. "Due to the bad weather and the fact that it is unlikely he was wearing a coat he would have been distinctive and people who may have seen him in the area are urged to contact police as soon as possible." Police searched his house and deployed a helicopter to scour the wider area. Checks of local hospitals also showed no trace of the missing advisor. |
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