[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14040479

Andy Coulson Former NoW editor was Mr Cameron's communications chief until early this year

It is the link David Cameron's aides always feared. The link between the prime minister's former close aide and director of communications, Andy Coulson, and alleged illegality when he was editor of the News of the World.

This story is, though, not about hacking. It is about paying the police.

News International have now confirmed - in response to an article in Vanity Fair - that they have passed on e-mails to the investigation which, it is alleged, show that Coulson authorised payments to the police when he was editor of the NoW.

I am told that News International did not inform their old employee and favourite son, Andy Coulson, about what they had passed to the police.

What this shows is that those in the firing line are no longer standing together.

What it ensures is that David Cameron has returned from Afghanistan tonight to find himself at the centre of the row about media ethics, the power of the Murdoch empire and his own judgement in hiring Andy Coulson.

PS If you've a long memory you may recall that Rebekah Brooks - then Wade - inadvertently revealed in 2003 that her papers had paid police when under questioning at a Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee hearing.

(Ms Wade) We have paid the police for information in the past.

(Chris Bryant MP) And will you do it in the future?

(Ms Wade) It depends -

At which point Andy Coulson leapt in to rescue his boss and old friend.

(Mr Coulson) We operate within the code and within the law and if there is a clear public interest then we will. The same holds for private detectives, subterfuge, a video bag - whatever you want to talk about.

After this she "clarified" her evidence in a letter which stated that: "My intention was simply to comment generally on the widely-held belief that payments had been made in the past to police officers.

"If, in doing so, I gave the impression that I had knowledge of any specific cases, I can assure you that this was not my intention."

Of course she knew .....

[Kerry]

The family of a 7/7 London terror attack victim allegedly had their phones hacked by the News of the World as they waited for news after the bombing, it has emerged.

The latest revelation in the widening scandal comes as MPs prepare for an emergency debate on the issue in Parliament.

More hacking allegations against the tabloid have emerged in recent days, with claims the parents of murdered Soham girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were targeted, as well as Milly Dowler and her parents.

Graham Foulkes, father of 7/7 victim David, told Sky News he had been contacted by the Metropolitan Police who said they had discovered a file containing his phone number and address during the course of their investigations.

"In the last six years I have spent all my efforts focusing on the response of the emergency services, the police and MI5 so to realise that possibly without doubt the darkest point of anybody;s life, the thought that the press was listening in to those conversations is beyond description," he said.

"I would like to see News International hung, drawn and quartered."

Solicitor Clifford Tibber, who represents some of the 7/7 victims' families, told Sky News: "One of the families who I represent have been told by the team investigating that their phone numbers had turned up during the course of the investigation.


"My thoughts are first of all with the family. It has caused a huge amount of distress to know that the sort of calls they were having to make shortly after the London bombings had been listened to by a journalist.

"It has been a very, very distressing time for them.

"It really is the worst possible invasion of their privacy at a time of the worst possible distress any family could possibly suffer."

The claims fall on the day before the sixth anniversary of the attacks.

As the scandal spread, the private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who hacked into phones for the News of the World, apologised "to anybody who was hurt or upset" by his activities.

In a statement given to The Guardian, he said: "I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done."



Mulcaire , who was convicted previously over earlier hacking activities for the paper, said he is now suffering "vilification" as a result of widespread condemnation.

"Much has been published in the media about me. Up to now, I have not responded publicly in any way to all the stories but in the light of the publicity over the last 24 hours, I feel I must break my silence," his statement said.

"I want to apologise to anybody who was hurt or upset by what I have done. I've been to court. I've pleaded guilty. And I've gone to prison and been punished. I still face the possibility of further criminal prosecution."

Mulcaire and ex-News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman were given jail terms in January 2007 after the Old Bailey heard they plotted to hack into royal aides' telephone messages.


Mulcaire sought to mitigate his actions by blaming demanding work schedules.

"Working for the News of the World was never easy. There was relentless pressure," his Guardian statement said.

"There was a constant demand for results. I knew what we did pushed the limits ethically. But, at the time, I didn't understand that I had broken the law at all."

"A lot of information I obtained was simply tittle-tattle, of no great importance to anyone, but sometimes what I did was for what I thought was the greater good, to carry out investigative journalism."


The scandal engulfing the newspaper has stepped up in recent days, engulfing the families of murder victims Milly Dowler and Soham girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

Messages on the mobile phone of Milly , who was then missing, were allegedly listened to and some were deleted.


Cambridgeshire police also confirmed that the families of 10-year-olds Jessica and Holly, who were murdered in 2002 by school caretaker Ian Huntley in Soham, were contacted by the Metropolitan Police.

Simon Greenberg, head of corporate affairs for NotW parent company News International, told Sky's Jeff Randall that his company had uncovered new details relating to voicemail interception.

"I think we have found significant new information that certainly helps us get closer to establishing the facts of the case about who was involved," Mr Greenberg said.

Mr Greenberg was asked by Randall if the phone belonging to the parents of Sarah Payne, an eight-year-old girl murdered in 2000, was also hacked, but he replied it was something he was "not aware of".


Later, News International released a statement about passing new evidence important to the police inquiry.

"As a result of media enquiries, it is correct to state that new information has recently been provided to the police," the News International statement said.

The tabloid's former editor Rebekah Brooks , who is now News International chief executive, said she was "appalled and shocked" by the claims but she has refused to resign , and denied any knowledge of impropriety.

According to Sky News chief political correspondent Jon Craig, Ms Brooks' deputy Andy Coulson, who went on to become Prime Minister David Cameron's communication director in Downing Street, is also now embroiled in the controversy.


"This time it is not about phone hacking, it is about payments to police," Craig said.

" Vanity Fair magazine says Mr Coulson 'condoned' payments by his members of staff at the News of the World to Scotland Yard officers, according to emails the company has handed over to police."

"Suddenly we are not just talking about phone hacking, we are also talking about payments to police.


"For those critics out for blood in the Commons emergency debate, this shows evidence of collusion between the paper and police."

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who is among those pursuing litigation in the High Court over alleged hacking, has been granted the emergency debate on hacking in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

He told Sky News that a judicial inquiry was the only way to bring the whole truth to light.


"We need to get to the bottom of two things: what was the scale of the criminality at the News of the World, and secondly, and equally importantly, why did the police do nothing about it in 2006?" Mr Bryant said.

"What I would do is set up the inquiry and adjourn it immediately, so it would be a sword of Damocles hanging over the police investigation because there is a danger as time goes on people will leave the scene, leave the country and shred the evidence and we need to make sure there isn't a cover-up of the cover-up."

Sky News

[lostalex]

If it's so easy for Newspapers to hack into people's phones, imagine what the government and military must be doing...

It's freaky.

[Jords]

Nothing is really private these days

[joeysteele]

If this is proven then the News of the World should be stopped from publishing. It is a disgrace and of course the wider question is just as what Lostalex said, it makes you wonder if a newsapaper can do these things then what one earth do we not know as to what the Govt may be doing too.

I think already the News of the World has been shown unfit to be in business but if this report is confirmed as well then it should 100% be folded up completely.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Omah

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14040479

Of course she knew .....

What kind of editor would she be if she didn't know everything that was going on at her newspaper? Either way she should resign.

[Omah]

Originally Posted by Livia

What kind of editor would she be if she didn't know everything that was going on at her newspaper? Either way she should resign.

Exactly .....

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14042764

1518:

Mr Watson says the whole board of News International is responsible for what has happened and James Murdoch - chairman and chief executive of parent company News Corp - should be suspended. James is, of course, the son of Rupert.

[InOne]

-Ditches mobile phone-

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14042764

1623:

Hugh Grant pops up on the BBC now and doesn't seem to have much faith in David Cameron's commitment to get to the bottom of all this. He says it's not in the PM's interests to take on News International since they got him elected and now tell him what to do.

When Brooks says "Kiss my ***", Cameron is only too ready to oblige .....

[Omah]

1718:

One more well-known name joins the corporate exodus - Butlins says it is withdrawing advertising from the News of the World.

The end of the NoTW is nigh, then .....

[Vicky.]

Horrible bastards

[CharlieO]

I hope tnotw is shut down

[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...ertisers-spend

Several companies have either withdrawn or suspended their advertising with the paper, including the Co-operative, Halifax, Co-op, Vauxhall, Virgin Holidays and Ford.

It's only a drop in the ocean for the NoTW, but every little molecule counts as a protest .....

[Harry!]

I watched this live on BBC News. It is such a discrase that this was allowed to happen.

[joeysteele]

It all seems to be piling up day after day,even the Police are coming out of this badly if the exchanging of money is as it is reported to be.

How the News of the World can go on after this is beyond all comprehension.

[bbfan1991]

Sick thing to do, those poor families.

Hope the NOTW pays the ultimate price for their actions!

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by bbfan1991

Sick thing to do, those poor families.

Hope the NOTW pays the ultimate price for their actions!

I really do too,in fact I think if I had my way I would stop the News of the World reporting anything at this point in time and make a final decision as to its future,(if it has one left),after all the investigations are completed.

[Tom4784]

Sadly they'll recover from this, they'll find themselves a scapegoat and it'll be business as usual in a few weeks.

[Kerry]

Yeah someone sacked or resigned. They'll continue

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Sadly they'll recover from this, they'll find themselves a scapegoat and it'll be business as usual in a few weeks.

I think you are totally correct in that.

[Omah]

http://www.channel4.com/news/rebekah...edia-intrusion

The Metropolitan Police have told Channel 4 News that in 2003 officers met the former editor of the News of the World, Rebekah Brooks, over claims that a police officer was shadowed by journalists from the paper.

The allegations - exclusively revealed by Channel 4 News on Tuesday - involve a surveillance operation during a crucial murder investigation which implicated private investigators who had alleged links to News International.

In 2002 a BBC Crimewatch report investigating a notorious unsolved murder featured senior detective Dave Cook. Later, Cook realised he was being followed after colleagues informed him he was being targeted by journalists at the News of the World.

So concerned were police that a witness protection unit was mobilised along with a counter surveillance team to watch journalists allegedly following Cook.

When finally confronted, the News of the World apparently said they were interested in whether Dave Cook was having an affair with a Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames. They were in fact married at the time.

Jacqui Hames told Channel 4 News that she has been contacted by Operation Weeting detectives investigating the phone hacking scandal.

On Wednesday she voiced fears that her personal details had been sold by someone in the police force to the News of the World.

Following the report by Channel 4 News the Metropolitan Police have confirmed the issue of "media intrusion" was addressed with News of the World executives.

Rebekah Brooks - editor of the newspaper at the time and now CEO of News International - was told by police in 2003 that an officer had raised concerns about intrusion.

The outcome of the meeting remains unclear, but both the News of the World and the Metropolitan Police appear never to have spoken about it publicly.

In response to questioning by Channel 4 News, the Metropolitan Police confirmed a meeting took place between Dick Fedorcio - the Met's longstanding Director of Public Affairs - Commander Andy Baker, Dave Cook and Rebekah Brooks on 9 January 2003.

"The meeting was held to discuss concerns raised by an officer about media intrusion he believed was taking place," the Met police said, adding that they had "not received any formal complaint relating to the alleged selling of details of a personnel file."

On Wednesday Channel 4 News wrote to News International asking them to confirm Rebecca Brooks was at the meeting; whether she responded to concerns by Dave Cook; whether she raised the issue with her bosses at News International; and whether any action was taken.

News International told Channel 4 News on Tuesday that they are not aware of the claims that a police officer was targeted, but that any allegations would be investigated.

C4 News are still digging .....

[Kerry]

News of the World editor Colin Myler has sent out an e-mail to all staff of the newspaper following the ongoing accusations of phone hacking.

The tabloid is alleged to have hacked into the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, as well as families of people who died in the 7/7 London bombings among others.

In a message sent out to employees, Myler said that he was "appalled" to hear about claims that private investigator Glenn Mulcaire accessed Dowler's voicemail on behalf of the paper, adding that he is in the process of uncovering the truth behind the allegations.

"I know you will be as appalled as I am by claims that a private investigator working for the News of the World intercepted the voicemails of Milly Dowler, victims of the 7/7 atrocity and others," Myler wrote.

"We are urgently trying to establish the truth of these allegations which, if proved, would amount to the most unimaginable breach of journalistic ethics.

"Understandably, there is a great deal of anger directed towards this newspaper as a result of what happened in some cases as far back as nine years ago."

Myler went on to warn staff that the near future could be "extremely painful", and praised the paper's "honest journalism" outside of the scandal.

"Inevitably, there is an extremely painful period ahead while we get to the bottom of these issues and atone for the wrongdoing that took place in the past," he added.

"But please be aware that I am extremely proud of your loyalty and commitment, the work we have done, and continue to do, to ensure that nothing like this should happen again. I am also proud of the great, honest, journalism that continues to win awards and make a positive difference to people's lives.

"We are the paper that campaigned to enshrine the Military Covenant in law, fought for ten years to establish Sarah's Law into legislation, the paper of Children's Champions, the paper that has fought tirelessly against bullying and so much more."

Myler concluded the e-mail by stating that he aims to restore the reputation of the newspaper once the full facts of the investigation have been revealed.

"As Rebekah [Brooks] said in her statement yesterday, News International will pursue the facts with vigour and integrity," he declared.

"Please be assured that, as editor, I will do everything in my power to restore the News of the World's reputation for fair, accurate and, most importantly, responsible journalism."

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised a public inquiry into the "absolutely disgusting" allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World.

DS



Excuse me while I vomit

[Omah]

Originally Posted by ~Kerry~

DS



Excuse me while I vomit

You are excused .....

What an appalling travesty of the truth and abuse of the facts from Myler - perhaps he's up to his neck in the mire, too .....

[Kerry]

It's on the news now. Literally making my skin crawl.