Rupert Murdoch faces fresh crisis as key Sun staff arrested

Five senior journalists are held in police corruption probe amid speculation over future of the Sun

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.

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Journalist at Murdoch's Sun arrested - sources

The News Corporation building is seen in New York, July 13, 2011.

(Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)