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Two men guilty of Bush memo leak | |
(40 minutes later) | |
A civil servant and an MP's researcher have been found guilty of leaking a secret memo about talks between George Bush and Tony Blair. | |
David Keogh, 50, from Northampton, has been found guilty of two offences under the Official Secrets Act. | |
MP's researcher Leo O'Connor was found guilty of one Official Secrets offence connected to a "sensitive" document. | |
It recorded Oval Office talks between Mr Bush and Mr Blair about Iraq in 2004, the Old Bailey was told. | |
It was claimed in court that publication of the memo could have cost British lives. | It was claimed in court that publication of the memo could have cost British lives. |
Few details of the "highly sensitive" memo, which is known to have included discussions about military tactics, have been made public. | Few details of the "highly sensitive" memo, which is known to have included discussions about military tactics, have been made public. |
'Embarrassing statements' | 'Embarrassing statements' |
The trial at the Old Bailey heard that Mr Keogh gave the memo to political researcher Mr O'Connor at a dining club in Northampton. | The trial at the Old Bailey heard that Mr Keogh gave the memo to political researcher Mr O'Connor at a dining club in Northampton. |
It was passed to Northampton South MP Anthony Clarke, who called the police. | It was passed to Northampton South MP Anthony Clarke, who called the police. |
Mr Keogh's barrister, Rex Tedd QC, said his client had wanted to seek to reveal the truth of what was happening in Iraq while others were trying to conceal that truth. | |
John Farmer, defending Mr O'Connor, said the war in Iraq was "the most controversial foreign affairs involvement of this country since Suez 50 years ago". | John Farmer, defending Mr O'Connor, said the war in Iraq was "the most controversial foreign affairs involvement of this country since Suez 50 years ago". |
Earlier, Mr O'Connor told the court he had never been "so worried and so fearful" as when he was passed the document. | Earlier, Mr O'Connor told the court he had never been "so worried and so fearful" as when he was passed the document. |
Mr O'Connor, who worked for anti-war Labour MP Mr Clarke, said he had been approached by Mr Keogh and told about "some quite embarrassing, outlandish statements" in the four-page document. | Mr O'Connor, who worked for anti-war Labour MP Mr Clarke, said he had been approached by Mr Keogh and told about "some quite embarrassing, outlandish statements" in the four-page document. |
But he told the jury that he took the claims with a "pinch of salt" and he never intended to send copies of the document to newspapers or MPs. | But he told the jury that he took the claims with a "pinch of salt" and he never intended to send copies of the document to newspapers or MPs. |