There were allegations that the dossier was "sexed up" prior to publication in order to bolster the case for military action.

[3] Evidence that the wording of the dossier was "strengthened" was presented to the Hutton Inquiry, a judicial review set up to investigate the circumstances leading up to the death of an eminent government weapons expert, David Kelly, who had criticised the wording of the dossier in off-the-record briefings to journalists.

The committee is chaired by a permanent chairman, a member of the Senior Civil Service, and is supported by the Joint Intelligence Organisation which includes an assessments staff.

The assessment staff is made up of experienced senior analysts drawn from across government and the military and conducts all-source analysis on subjects of interest to the committee.

These support the strategic national security objectives of the UK: Ever since World War II, the chief of the London station of the United States Central Intelligence Agency has attended the JIC's weekly meetings.