FBI to investigate News Corporation over 9/11 hacking allegations

Agency to investigate claims Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp sought to hack into phone of victims of 9/11, reports say The FBI has opened an investigation into allegations that media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation sought to hack into the phones of September 11 victims, a law enforcement official has said. The decision to investigate was made after US Congressman Peter King, a Republican, wrote to FBI director Robert Mueller demanding an investigation, said the official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The FBI had received letters from King and other members of Congress. News Corporation, which is based in New York, has been in crisis mode because of a scandal that forced the News of the World to close last Sunday. The Guardian reported last week that the News of the World had hacked into the phone of Milly Dowler in 2002 and may have impeded a police investigation into her 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 did not immediately comment. There was no immediate response to a phone message left for News Corp. The US attorney’s office in Manhattan referred a call to the Department of Justice, which declined immediate comment. On Thursday, Murdoch bowed to pressure from parliament as he and son James first declined – and then agreed – to appear next week before politicians investigating phone hacking. Paul Wallis, a former News of the World executive editor, became the seventh person arrested by Scotland Yard relating to the inquiry into phone hacking at the now-defunct tabloid, whose closure was seen as an attempt to keep alive a bid for the highly profitable network BSkyB. FBI Phone hacking News Corporation United States Rupert Murdoch Media business Newspapers & magazines National newspapers Newspapers guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 14, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.