The Associated Press says the FBI has opened an investigation into allegations that media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. sought to hack into the phones of Sept. 11 victims.
Source: FBI Investigating News Corp.
NEW YORK (AP) — A law enforcement official says the FBI has opened an investigation into allegations that media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. sought to hack into the phones of Sept. 11 victims.
The official spoke Thursday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
New York City-based News Corp. has been in crisis mode.
A rival newspaper reported last week that the company’s News of the World had hacked into the phone of U.K. teenage murder victim Milly Dowler in 2002 and may have impeded a police investigation into the 13-year-old’s disappearance.
More possible victims soon emerged: other child murder victims, 2005 London bombing victims, the families of dead soldiers and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The FBI’s New York office hasn’t commented. There’s been no response from News Corp. or to a message left with the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan.
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Comments (9)
Robert Crookham says:
July 14, 2011 at 3:49 pm
If the FBI turns up something substantive, the FCC is going to have to take notice. The sins of the parent company can be visited upon the subsidiaries…just ask RKO General…
Gregg Palermo says:
July 14, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Blood in the water. Obama’s appointees are following a political vendetta.
Diane Tryneski says:
July 14, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Interesting comment considering that Republican Congressman Peter King is the one who demanded an FBI investigation.
Vernon Anderson says:
July 14, 2011 at 4:31 pm
So then, Rustbeltalumnus2, you think that the breaking of laws is something that should be overlooked? Breaking laws to violate people’s privacy and the sanctity of private communications — for commercial purposes is only a minor concern? This is NOT a partisan matter – it is an assault on the very fabric of the freedoms our nation is charged with protecting – no matter what the political viewpoints of the responsible parties. Let’s start recognizing that being an American is FAR more than political posturing. There are serious responsibilities involved.
Robert Gass says:
July 14, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Rosebud
Paul Gourley says:
July 14, 2011 at 5:44 pm
The best thing that could happen to Local news in the markets where Fox has O and O’s is they would lose their licenses and have to sell the stations. Then assuming a quality broadcaster bought these properties they would find out the kind of people are in most of these stations , especially at the nmanagement level(bullies) and then there would be a lot of job openings! Foz has a good network news but does not do good local news.
Christina Fleming says:
July 15, 2011 at 12:06 am
you got it backwards bob, their local news is great, their network news is faux. Mostly complete bullshit they make-up to satisfy their far right agenda.
Warren Harmon says:
July 15, 2011 at 3:50 am
This is all just oBONGo Political BS
Burl Osborne says:
July 18, 2011 at 12:42 pm
The press (news) is the “4th Estate” for a reason: to keep the general public informed on what is going on in government so that we in a democracy can intelligently govern ourselves. Right now in the U.K. most politicos are terrified to say much about Newscorp or its subsidiaries because those same entities have tapped their phones and they are afraid of some dark secret being exposed (one step shy of blackmail). Oddly, we may have a similar situation here. News is not supposed to be partisan. The facts are the facts and citizens form their own opinions around them. Notice that we don’t have a trusted newsman like Walter Cronkite any longer? Don’t you wonder WHY?
When you have a press organization targeting enemies, lying to public officials in investigations, buying the silence of “troublesome” employees and concealing disclosure of conflicts of interest, that is a disaster for democracy, and it is going on in the U.K. and in the U.S. This needs to be investigated, prosecuted and cleaned up, for ALL our sakes.