Britons face trial for leaking Bush-Blair bomb memo;

LONDON (AP) - Two former British officials accused of leaking details of a memo reported to include references to President George W. Bush discussing bombing Arab broadcaster Al-Jazeera will face trial in April, a judge said Monday.

White House officials have denied the report, calling the claims "outlandish and inconceivable."

David Keogh, 49, a former British Cabinet Office spokesman, and former parliamentary researcher Leo O'Connor, 42, are accused of violating Britain's Official Secrets Act.

Judge Richard Aikens, who previously ruled parts of the trial would be heard in private to protect national security, granted both men bail, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said.

Keogh has denied two charges of making a damaging disclosure of part of a government document. O'Connor denies a charge of making a damaging disclosure of a document passed to him illegally.

Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper has reported the memo revealed details of a conversation between Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House on April 16, 2004.

The newspaper said Blair argued against Bush's suggestion of bombing Al-Jazeera's headquarters in Doha, Qatar. The Daily Mirror said its sources disagreed on whether Bush's suggestion was serious.

Blair said he had no information about any proposed U.S. action against Al-Jazeera.

LinkHere