Fed: Wilkie fronts WMD inquiry tomorrow

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Fed: Wilkie fronts WMD inquiry tomorrow

By Sharon Labi

CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - Australia's intelligence used to justify war in Iraq will comeunder scrutiny tomorrow, with whistleblower Andrew Wilkie among those giving evidenceto a parliamentary inquiry.

The witness list also includes former UN weapons inspector and Tasmania governor-designateRichard Butler.

But the agencies at the centre of the intelligence controversy will not front the inquiryuntil next month and their evidence is likely to be heard in-camera.

Mr Wilkie, a former intelligence analyst with the Office of National Assessments, tolda British parliamentary committee in June that the Australian and American governmentshad exaggerated intelligence assessments of the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destructioncapability.

He has not made a submission to the Australian inquiry but will give evidence tomorrow morning.

The inquiry follows claims the government made its case for war against Iraq on faultyintelligence, such as claims by Prime Minister John Howard that Iraq had sought uraniumfrom the African nation of Niger.

Committee chair, Liberal MP David Jull, today said the committee hoped its report wouldrestore confidence in the nation's security systems.

"I believe it will be a comprehensive hearing and I hope that we'll be able to producea report in December which will give people confidence in our security systems," Mr Jullsaid today.

The committee cannot force the intelligence agencies to give evidence but all willappear before the inquiry.

"The agencies won't be coming before the committee until later in September," Mr Jull said.

"All agencies are going to give evidence. The prime minister has cleared the way forthe Office of National Assessments, the DIO and of course the other agencies will be theretoo."

Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said the government should make the inquirymore transparent.

"In Australia there is likely to be only one public hearing yet it includes no representativesfrom intelligence agencies other than Andrew Wilkie who had to resign to get his storyout," Senator Bartlett said.

"An inquiry into whether Australians were lied to about Iraq's weapons of mass destructioncapabilities must reveal the truth to the Australian people."

The inquiry is examining the nature, accuracy and independence of assessments madeby Australia's intelligence agencies of information relating to the existence of weaponsof mass destruction in Iraq.

It is also looking at whether the federal government misled parliament and the Australian public.

AAP sal/sb/sjb/br

KEYWORD: WMD