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Bid to keep memo hearing secretFrom CNN Producer Jonathan Wald  File image of the Al-Jazeera newsroom in Doha, Qatar. RELATEDYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- A hearing for two British bureaucrats accused of providing a tabloid newspaper with a secret memo about a purported conversation between U.S. President George W. Bush and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair should take place behind closed doors, prosecutors said in a request made Tuesday. In November, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported that during an April 2004 meeting, Bush suggested bombing the headquarters of the Arabic language news network Al-Jazeera in Qatar, but was talked out of it by Blair. Both the White House and Blair's office have disputed that account. David Keogh, 49, a civil servant, and Leo O'Connor, 42, a parliamentary researcher, are accused of making "a damaging disclosure of a document relating to international relations," in violation of Britain's Official Secrets Act. Keogh, who worked in the Cabinet Office, is accused of sending a confidential government file, which originated in Blair's office, to O'Connor, who worked for a member of parliament. The MP later returned the document to Blair's office. At a hearing Tuesday, a prosecutor said that an application for permission to close the hearing had been sent to British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. A judge must also approve the request. O'Connor's lawyer, Neil Clark, objected to the bid, saying the move had "more to do with saving the face of our friends abroad" than protecting national security. "Our defense is that disclosure of the memo would not damage the British national interest, so why should any hearing be held in private?" Clark said. O'Connor has indicated in court that he intends to plead not guilty. Keogh has not said how he will plead. Both declined comment as they left court Tuesday. Their next hearing is set for April 25. After the Daily Mirror published its report, a White House official told CNN that "we are not going to dignify something so outlandish with a response." A Pentagon official called the report "absolutely absurd." A spokesman for Blair has said the memo did not refer to bombing Al-Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar, adding that he "was not aware of any suggestion of bombing any Al-Jazeera building." Clark told CNN that his client, O'Connor, was "amazed" at the spokesman's comments, which he believes were inaccurate. 
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