WELL, THIS ISN’T IN THE SAME CATEGORY as Al Jazeera trying to spark riots, but this story about the BBC’s Andrew Gilligan certainly is an example of a journalist trying to “sex up” a story by giving events a nudge:

Andrew Gilligan, the BBC reporter at the heart of the David Kelly affair, tried to draw the weapons inspector into admitting publically there was disquiet over the Iraq intelligence dossier, it emerged today.

The journalist sent an email to a Liberal Democrat press officer suggesting questions that could be put to Dr Kelly by the foreign affairs select committee.

In the email dated July 14, Gillligan described Dr Kelly as “an extremely interesting witness”.

“Above all he should be asked what kind of threat Iraq was in September 2002 and, if he was able to answer frankly, it should be devastating,” Gilligan wrote.

Gilligan did not admit Dr Kelly was the source of his “sexed-up” dossier story broadcast on the Radio 4 Today programme, which started the row between the BBC and the government.

I imagine all the journalistic ethics pundits will be all over this one.