"They want you to elaborate, " she said, sounding almost apologetic.

WSJ: One Night in the HELP Women's Shelter

It was the softly, softly, almost apologetic approach of William Graham AM that led to an acceptance that questions around the wording of some emails he'd exchanged with government officials were "legitimate and sensible".

BBC: 'No conniving' and 'no conspiracy'

Mr al-Fawwaz looked almost apologetic.

BBC: Meeting Khaled al-Fawwaz - Bin Laden's man in London