The conspiracy begins here.

[khaosworks]

MoD expert goes missing

The weapons expert named by the government as the possible source for a BBC report on Iraq has gone missing, police have said.

Government adviser David Kelly went missing from his home in Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, at about 1500 BST on Thursday.

Thames Valley Police are appealing for help from the public to help find Dr Kelly.

His family contacted the police when he failed to return by 2345 BST.

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.

He appeared before the Commons foreign affairs committee on Tuesday.

Description

Huge media attention has been on Dr Kelly since the Ministry of Defence said he had admitted meeting Andrew Gilligan, the BBC correspondent behind the controversial Iraq story.

Police say he is an avid walker and has good local knowledge of the many footpaths surrounding his home.

It is not unusual for him to walk for two or three hours at a time, but unusual for him to do this alone.

And his disappearance and failure to make contact with anyone is described by his family as 'out of character'.

Initial searches of the house, outbuildings and grounds of the property were completed in the early hours of Friday, and the police helicopter was also deployed.

Checks of local hospitals have also shown no trace of Dr Kelly.

Dr Kelly is 5ft 8ins, of slim build and with grey receding hair and a white well-trimmed beard.

He has green/grey eyes and was last seen wearing an off-white cotton shirt possibly striped, blue jeans, with a brown leather belt and brown shoes.

Police number

Assistant 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 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."

Anyone who feels they may have information that can help in tracing Dr Kelly should call 08458 505 505.

The MoD says it will not be commenting on Dr Kelly's disappearance.

After questioning Dr Kelly earlier this week, the Commons foreign affairs select committee said it was "most unlikely" he was the main source for the BBC story.

And they said Dr Kelly, who has worked as a weapons inspector in Iraq, had been "poorly treated" by the government - a charge strongly rejected by the MoD.

Committee chairman Donald Anderson told the BBC his "heart went out" to Dr Kelly's family as the search for the official goes on.

"He came across as someone rather relaxed before the committee," he said.

"There was some suggestion he might have someone alongside him to give him confidence but he rejected that.

"He seemed on top of it.

"Everyone who knows him and his family will be very concerned."

Update: The story at the link has changed. Now it appears they've found a body.

Comments

[dietbubba.livejournal.com]

Unbelievable. Its like we are now in some bad techno-thriller.

[hrrunka]

Yeah. Conversation at lunch revolved in part about how like a plot for Spooks (Brit MI5 spy-thriller TV series) the events have been. That conversation evolved into one about the construction of conspiracy theories....