The Guardian, The
Observer, Jamie Doward, Sunday 12 February 2012
News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch is expected to fly into Britain following the latest arrests of key editorial staff at the Sun. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
Rupert Murdoch is expected to fly to Britain this week to tackle the latest
allegations to rock his media empire, involving the corruption of public
officials by Sun journalists.
The deputy
editor, Geoff Webster, chief reporter John Kay, picture editor John Edwards,
chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker and deputy news editor John Sturgis
were arrested in early morning raids on suspicion of bribing police and public
officials. There was also a search of the Sun's offices. A Surrey police
officer, a member of the armed forces and a Ministry of Defence employee were
also arrested.
Part of
Operation Elveden, Scotland Yard's investigation into newspaper corruption, the
arrests follow those of four former and current Sun journalists and a serving
Metropolitan police officer.
Senior Sun
employees Chris Pharo and Mike Sullivan, executive editor Fergus Shanahan and
News International's editorial development director, Graham Dudman, were
arrested on 28 January. Rebekah Brooks, the Sun's former editor, and Andy
Coulson, ex-editor of the News of the World, have also been questioned. The
arrests have prompted speculation that News Corp, News International's US-based
parent company, may be forced to consider closing the Sun, as it did with the
News Of The World, in an attempt to protect the Murdoch empire.
Legal
experts believe allegations that officials were bribed by a subsidiary of a US
company could cause an investigation by the US department of justice under the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, an inquiry that could prove hugely damaging for
News Corp.
"The
developments show this is no longer only about phone hacking," said Labour
MP Tom Watson. "It goes to the very heart of corporate governance of the
company led by Rupert Murdoch. Was Sun editor Dominic Mohan aware of
allegations of payments to police before he gave evidence under oath to Lord
Leveson?"
In an email
to Sun staff, Tom Mockridge, chief executive of News International, said the
"Sun has a proud history of delivering ground-breaking journalism"
and insisted he had received "a personal assurance today from Rupert
Murdoch about his total commitment to continue to own and publish the Sun newspaper".
A News Corp
statement said its management and standards committee (MSC), the body set up to
investigate allegations of wrongdoing at News International's newspapers, which
include the Times and Sunday Times, had provided information that led to the
arrests. News Corp said it had provided the option of "immediate legal
representation" to those arrested. "News Corporation maintains its
total support to the ongoing work of the MSC and is committed to making certain
that legitimate journalism is vigorously pursued in both the public interest
and in full compliance with the law," the MSC said.
The
National Union of Journalists suggested there was now a "witch-hunt"
against journalists. "Once again Rupert Murdoch is trying to pin the blame
on individual journalists, hoping that a few scalps will salvage his corporate
reputation," said its general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet.
"Journalists are reeling at seeing five more of their colleagues thrown to
the wolves."
Surrey
police confirmed that a serving officer had been arrested at his home. A
spokesman said: "Surrey police has been working closely with Operation
Elveden since it was established in 2011, with a number of its officers
seconded to the Metropolitan police service to assist with the investigations.
On learning about the involvement of one of its officers, the force immediately
referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission
(IPCC)."
The force's
assistant chief constable, Jerry Kirkby, said it "takes matters of this
nature extremely seriously and we will not hesitate to respond robustly to
allegations where there is evidence to support them".
Deborah
Glass, deputy chair of the IPCC, said: "We are continuing to actively
supervise the Metropolitan police service investigation into alleged
corruption, including the latest referral from Surrey police. Today's arrests
are further evidence of the strenuous efforts being undertaken to identify
police officers who may have taken corrupt payments."
Mockridge
told staff that some of the individuals arrested had been "instrumental in
breaking important stories about public bodies, for example the scandal of our
under-resourced troops in Iraq. In light of these further developments, I have
today written to the Independent Police Complaints Commission to seek
clarification from them about the process of independent oversight of the
police investigation." All of those arrested were bailed.
Related Articles:
News Corp faces renewed threat of prosecution in US following Sun arrests
Journalist at Murdoch's Sun arrested - sources
Journalist at Murdoch's Sun arrested - sources
The News Corporation building is seen in New York, July 13, 2011.
(Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
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