Fresh examination of Kelly case

Professor Christian Seelos, who worked alongside the British scientist as a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq, said calls for a fresh examination of the case appeared to be "totally politically motivated".

Dr Kelly's body was found in woods near his Oxfordshire home in July 2003, shortly after it was revealed he was the source of a BBC report casting doubt on a Government dossier claiming Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction that

could be launched within 45 minutes.

Some medical experts questioned the official account that the 59-year-old scientist killed himself, and coalition ministers are currently considering how to allay these concerns.

Prof Seelos admitted that he initially thought it was "impossible" for his friend to have

committed suicide because it was completely out of

character.

But after talking to the scientist's widow, Janice, and other family members, he concluded that he did indeed take his own life after finding himself "in a difficult situation" with his integrity under attack.

Austrian-born Prof Seelos, who led UN biological weapons inspections in Iraq in the 1990s, rejected demands for a full inquest to look again at Dr Kelly's death.

"I think this is outrageous. I have not seen in the media any piece of evidence that would support re-opening the case," he said.