Call for inquest into 'suicide' question

LONDON, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Six British doctors have begun legal action for a new coroner's inquest into the controversial death of U.N. weapons inspector David Kelly, authorities say.

Kelly's former colleagues suspect the original verdict of suicide is incorrect and should be overturned.

Kelly, a 59-year-old microbiologist died days after being revealed as the source of confidential information in a 2003 BBC story about the Iraq war, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday. In it, Kelly alleged the British government "sexed up" evidence against Iraq to justify the invasion.

The government was incensed when it found out Kelly was at the heart of the BBC's story, and forced the scientist to give evidence before the House of Commons before whisking him away to a government safe-house where he was interviewed by British intelligence services, the Telegraph said.

Kelly's body was found in the woods near his Oxfordshire home on July 17, 2003, his wrist slashed and a non-lethal amount of painkillers in his system. His death was ruled a suicide.

An inquiry was held at the time, but did not have powers of a full inquest and so could not summon a jury, hear evidence under oath or have power to subpoena witnesses, the Telegraph said.

A film, "Anthrax War," alleges Kelly, head of biological defense at Britain's secret military base at Wiltshire "knew too much."

Stephen Frost, one of the six doctors pressing for a full inquest into Kelly's death, is intent on getting to the bottom of the case.

"We are determined to get to the bottom of this death," he said."We will pursue it to the very end."