MoD 'Gag' on Details of Gulf War Illness
By Oliver Poole

The "manipulations and manoeuvres" of the Ministry of Defence were condemned yesterday after it approached scientists researching "Gulf War Syndrome" and asked them to limit their co-operation with an independent inquiry into veterans' illnesses.

The criticism came on the second day of the open hearings to Lord Lloyd of Berwick, a former Lord Justice of Appeal. The inquiry had been taking testimony from former servicemen who blame the 1991 conflict for a range of subsequent medical problems.

The Ministry of Defence last week announced it would be "inappropriate" to allow ministers, civil servants and serving members of the armed forces to appear, but pledged it was "committed to openness" and promised to provide "appropriate documents".

However, Malcolm Lingwood, the director of the MoD's veterans policy unit, sent a letter on Wednesday to more than 40 scientists and advisors that had been paid by the Government to research Gulf War-related illnesses. It asked them not to reveal any continuing findings until they could be published in the completed official report to preserve their "confidentiality".

Prof Malcolm Hooper, a Government advisor on Gulf War illnesses, said he saw it as a Government attempt to limit the inquiry's ability to explore the extent of the problem.
The Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2004

PHILLIP DAY'S COMMENT: Here, of course, is another example of Big Brother frantically attempting some damage control over the catastrophic matter of aspartame and depleted uranium poisoning, and anthrax inoculations for our boys in the Gulf. Welcome to the 21st century, where everyone has rights but seemingly no responsibilities.