Secrecy ruling by judge on Blair-Bush talk

By Richard Norton-Taylor
Wednesday July 19, 2006

07/19/06 "The Guardian" -- -- The public must be prevented from learning the contents of a conversation between Tony Blair and President George Bush about the conduct of the war in Iraq - crucial evidence in a forthcoming official secrets trial - an Old Bailey judge ruled yesterday.
Any discussion of an already partially leaked document - in which Mr Bush purportedly said in April 2004 that he wanted to bomb the Arabic satellite TV station al-Jazeera, and Mr Blair expressed concern about US military tactics in the Iraqi city of Falluja - must be heard behind closed doors, Mr Justice Aikens ruled. He also banned the public and the media from hearing the prosecution's arguments on the grounds of national security.

Defence lawyers who have seen the four-page document argue that its contents are at most embarrassing. A number of newspapers are planning to challenge yesterday's ruling.
David Keogh, a former Cabinet Office official, and Leo O'Connor, former parliamentary researcher to the Labour MP for Northampton South, Anthony Clarke, are due to face trial at the Old Bailey on October 9. Both have pleaded not guilty to charges under the Official Secrets Act.

The Bush-Blair meeting took place when Whitehall officials, intelligence officials and British military commanders were expressing outrage at the scale of the US assault on Falluja, in which up to 1,000 civilians are feared to have died. Pictures of the attack, shown on al-Jazeera, had infuriated US generals.

A second document, leaked in May 2004, revealed British concerns about "heavy-handed US military tactics in Falluja and Najaf" losing the coalition "much public support inside Iraq".

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006