Two Britons deny leaking memo charges

LONDON, April 25 (UPI) -- Two Britons accused of leaking a memo allegedly suggesting U.S. President Bush wanted to bomb an Arab TV station have denied the charges.

The secret memo allegedly said British Prime Minister Tony Blair had persuaded Bush not to attack al Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar, reports Sky News.

Former Cabinet communications official David Keogh was accused of passing the memo to Leo O'Connor, a former aide to a Labor parliament member.

Keogh pleaded not guilty to two charges of making a damaging disclosure between April 15 and May 29, 2004. O'Connor denied one charge of making a damaging disclosure of the April 16 document, the report said.

The two have been ordered to stand trial starting Oct. 9.