ACIPSS_nl_2011-05

Mr Straw told the Iraq Inquiry he had suggested that the UK could instead
provide "facilitation" for the US offensive, and then deploy British forces
to help deal with the aftermath. His appearance marked the inquiry's final
public hearing, 15 months after they began. Winding up the proceedings the
chairman, Sir John Chilcot, said completing their final report was a
"significant task" which would take "some months".
Mr Straw confirmed that he had met Mr Blair on March 12 2003, eight days
before the invasion, to discuss the situation. No official record was kept
of the meeting, but Mr Straw said he had made clear to Mr Blair that he
still had options other than committing to the invasion.
"I think to say I was advocating not committing British troops to military
action is probably putting it too strongly," he told the inquiry.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jack-straw-suggestedfacilitation-days-before-iraq-invasion-2201747.html
0436/11 ---------------------------------------------------------------
GB secretly advised Libya how to secure release of Lockerbie bomber
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(Telegraph) Ministers secretly advised Muammar Gaddafi’s Libyan regime how
to secure the successful early release of the Lockerbie bomber, documents
obtained by The Daily Telegraph have disclosed.
A Foreign Office minister sent Libyan officials detailed legal advice on
how to use Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s cancer diagnosis to ensure he was
released from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds. The Duke of York
is also said to have played a behind-the-scenes role in encouraging the
terrorist’s release. The Libyans closely followed the advice which led to
the controversial release of Megrahi – who was convicted of the murder of
270 passengers on Pan Am Flight 103 – within months of the Foreign Office’s
secret intervention.
The disclosure seriously undermines British Government claims that is was
not complicit in the release of al-Megrahi, and that the decision to free
the convicted terrorist was taken by the Scottish Executive alone. It will
also lead to renewed pressure from senior American politicians on David
Cameron to release all internal documents detailing Britain’s role in the
scandal. Last summer, the Prime Minister pledged to release the relevant
information – but the publication has yet to occur sparking fears that a
cover-up may have been ordered.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8294120/WikiLeaks-
Britain-secretly-advised-Libya-how-to-secure-release-of-Lockerbiebomber.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4d472fe517f76ce5,0
0437/11 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Iraq Inquiry: 'Blair Feared Cabinet Leaks'
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(Sky) Tony Blair steered away from discussing plans for the US-led invasion
of Iraq because he feared details might be leaked by his Cabinet colleagues
The head of the civil service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, told the Iraq Inquiry the
former Prime Minister's informal "sofa government" style left insufficient
records of the talks which led to the war. The distrust of colleagues meant
ACIPSS-Newsletter 05/2011 - 30 -