June 11, 2003

Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet announced today the appointment of Dr. David Kay as Special Advisor for Strategy regarding Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Programs.

Dr. Kay, 63, will be based in Iraq and will be in charge of refining the overall approach for the search for Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. The Department of Defense’s Iraq Survey Group will provide direct support to the Special Advisor.

In announcing the appointment Director Tenet said: “David Kay’s experience and background make him the ideal person for this new role. His understanding of the history of the Iraqi programs and knowledge of past Iraqi efforts to hide WMD will be of inestimable help in determining the current status of Saddam Hussein’s illicit weapons.”

Dr. Kay, working for IAEA and UNSCOM, led three arms inspection missions as chief nuclear weapons inspector in Iraq during 1991-92. Most recently he has served as a Senior Fellow at the Arlington, Virginia-based think tank, The Potomac Institute.

Dr. Kay has a BA degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters in International Affairs and Ph.D. degree from Columbia University. He is a recipient of the IAEA’s Distinguished Service Award and the U.S Secretary of State’s Commendation.