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Sent: 09 July 2003 14 22
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Subject: PfediaGuardran co uk Broadcast Heon names source, BBC brands it a farce html

MediaGuardian .co u
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He hasn't actjally put it out but has brie` on general gist

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 MediaGuardian.co uk I Broadcast I Hoon narnes source, BBC brands it a farce Pa~e : of 4

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1 .15pm

Hoon names NIaD 'mole' in

move BBC brands a farce
The MoD statement -
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Jason Deans
Wednesday July 9, 2003
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Recent articles The government's bitter row with the BBC took a new :w ;st
.^.ac rtal adiovrlllresist
Olea_Chanpel adv~nces today when defence secretary Geofr Hoon named the
Ministry of Defence "mole" he believes is at the centre of the
Peers iail to imoose curb on Iraq dossier row
Mi,rdoch
The BBC hi: back immediately, claiming Mr Hoon's latest
Drug s_canCa :falls Gernan a:tempt to boince the corporation into confirming or denying
TV inqmsitor
the man is the source was "farcical"
The epla=ner C-oss-meGa_
Ow~_U rallfV Mr Hoon named the MoD official in a letter to the BBC
test chairman, Gavyn Davies, today
-,( review
The official came forward on Monday and admitted to his
'MIson to_ieave Granaaa bosses and No 10 he had met tne BBC defence
Repors correspondent, Andrew Gllllgan, in a central London hotel

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However, he denied he had given Gllllgan any infcrmation
about the Iraq dossier the BBC claimed was "sexed up" by
Alastair Campoell
Mr Hoon's letter follows one sent'ast night by Mr Davles, in
which the BBC chief refused to identify the scurc=- -1f
Glagan's story
Senior BBC Inslaers said they believed it was "an elephanc
trap"

Today Mr Hoon refused to let the matter rest

"This is merely a question of saying someone is not the

source It is not a trap," a Downing Street spokesman told ^~
journalists a: today's lobby brisling, ~ - ~t I 2 J
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 iviemavUaTman.co UK I 6roadcast I moon names source, BBC brands it a farce Page 2 of 4

"This is not an assault on journalistic sources, this is not an

assault on the BBC, it is not a vendetta," he said .

"It is a genuine attempt to get at the truth behind what's one

of tne most serious allegations you can make against a
government"

The "mole" has been named in the letter, which will not be
released in the press, out Journalists m the lobby said it was
only a matter of time before his identity becomes public

"His name may well come out but it won't be through us,"
said a Downing St,ee : spokesman

The BBC, desperate to draw a line under the afair, said it

woud not be drawn into the cat and mouse came

A spokesman said tne row was now "descending into farce"

and the government's latest ruse wojld fail to illicit the
desired response

"The BBC will not be making any more comment about, or

responding to, any claims concerning the identity of Andrew
Gilligan's source for nis May 29 Today programme stcry," he
said

"We are concerned day by day information is being deduced

that would ahow the so irce to be identfiee and tne ;r safety
compromised " he added .

"This is descending into a farce The [,/,oD are losing all

credibility in relaaon to this so-called source

"We've said it's time to d-aw a line under tnis whole affair
and that's what we are going to do "

BBC insiders also accused the government of changing its

story between last night, wnen it was announced an MoD
official admitted meeting Gilhgan, and today's Downing
Street lobby brnefing

Trey alleged that last night the MoD said the person had
only known Gilligar. for a few months and worked in the
department

But today lobby journalists were told the source had known
the BBC journalis : ror years and was on secondment to the
MoD from another government department

"They've got the entire resources of the Downing Street and

MoD PR department wor'r,ing on this and they still can't get
their most basic facts straight," one BBC insider said

~ To give MediaGi:ardian a story email

epltprc mediagu_arc _ar cc) uk or phone 020 7239 9857

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