British weapons expert David Kelly, who had been at the center of a row over Downing Street's case for Iraq war, was laid to rest Wednesday in a churchyard overlooking the spot where he apparently committed suicide.

His death has plunged British Prime Minister Tony Blair into the most serious crisis during his six-year premiership.

Kelly's wife and daughters led up to 160 mourners at the service in St. Mary's Church in Longworth, Oxfordshire, northwest of London.

British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott represented the government at the service, while Lord Hutton, who is leading the inquiry into the expert's death, was among the first to arrive.

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon is on holiday with his family in America amid reports he had been instructed to keep a low profile, said a Sky News report.

The church bell tolled shortly before 1300 GMT as a hearse arrived bearing a coffin topped with white roses and lilies, followed by cars carrying mourners.

Kelly, 59, is thought to have committed suicide after speculation - later confirmed by the BBC - that he was the source of BBC reports accusing Downing Street of exaggerating evidence over Iraqi weapons in order to take the country into the war.

Upon Kelly's death, the British government immediately faced accusations that the leaking of his name by the Ministry of Defense contributed to his death.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2003)