Kate Peyton inquest kicks off

The inquiry into the death of Kate Peyton, the BBC producer who was gunned down outside the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu in February 2005, opens today,

Ms Peyton’s sister, Rebecca, an actress who lives in Brixton, south London, said: “All the journalists we’ve spoken to who have been to Somalia or who know about it have been quite shocked that she was sent. We say that she didn’t have access to all the information before she went. “She didn’t have any contacts in Somalia and we believe she wasn’t aware of the dangers of working there.” link

UPDATE: The Daily Mail has more from the inquest today,

[Detective Chief Inspector David Skevington] said the BBC carried out an internal investigation which focused on three areas: use of security advisers, flak jackets, and medical facilities and evacuation.
‘The BBC will say that it has not been the practice to deploy Western security advisers with their teams going into Mogadishu,’ he said.
‘The preferred option would be to use the hotel security, which had been used on a number of previous occasions.
‘Local people are felt the best placed to negotiate travel through and between the various factions and this was the preferred option for Miss Peyton’s visit.
‘Armed Western security would be considered provocative and counter-productive.’
He added: ‘Flak jackets were taken but not normally worn because it was thought that it would draw unnecessary attention and invite attack.
‘Miss Peyton was not wearing a flak jacket at the time of her death.’ link