MI6 concluded by February 2003 that their source on Iraqi chemical weapons had been lying, one month before the invasion.
“ Iraq's weapons programme. [ 44 ] However, it was noticed that the agent's description of glass containers, not typically used for chemical munitions, resembled the nerve gas inaccurately depicted in glass beads or spheres in The Rock . By February 2003 – a month before the invasion of Iraq – MI6 concluded that their source had been lying ”
Dearlove passed unverified intelligence about Iraqi WMD directly to Tony Blair without confirming accuracy, and the informant was later found to be lying.
“ to high levels in the Iraqi government directly to Prime Minister, Tony Blair , without first confirming its accuracy. [ 10 ] The investigators found that references to this intelligence in government reports were over-certain and did not adequately stress uncertainties and nuance. The informant was later found to have been lying. The Chilcot report stated that ”
Dearlove contends Iraqi intelligence sources told Saddam rearmament was more advanced than reality, misleading both Saddam and Western intelligence.
“And the people we were talking to, I think, were telling Saddam that the rearmament was much more advanced than it actually was.”
Dearlove argues Iraqi sources misled both Saddam and Western intelligence about rearmament progress out of fear.
“And the people we were talking to, I think, were telling Saddam that the rearmament was much more advanced than it actually was. So our sources themselves were telling Saddam stuff which wasn't entirely accurate.”