Murdoch: Phone hacking investigation close to an end

The News International phone hacking scandal hit a new note last Tuesday, with media mogul Rupert Murdoch writing an e-mail to Sun journalists saying the investigation of alleged illegal police payments is likely coming to an end, MediaGuardian reported.

News Corp's management and standards committee (MSC) has been providing information to Operation Elveden, the British police investigation into inappropriate payments to police, "to ensure that legitimate journalism is vigorously pursued in both the public interest and in full compliance with the law," said the media conglomerate.


Operation Elveden was launched as the phone hacking scandal broke out last July. Tabloid News of the World, closed due to the scandal, was owned by News International, News Corp's British newspaper arm.

Until the beginning of this month, 11 Sun journalists have been arrested in ongoing inquiry over corruptions allegations and other two former Sun reporters have been hospitalised after apparent suicide attempts, digital spy noted.

Concerned about the difficult times the newspaper is going through, Murdoch wrote that he is "doing everything I can to see that our colleagues are looked after and that they get the very best care and help."

Amid these investigations, Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International and Rupert Murdoch's right hand woman, was arrested by Scotland Yard along with other five people on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, according to MediaGuardian.

Last Monday, Rupert Murdoch attended in Long Island the funeral of Marie Colvin, the Sunday Times war correspondent killed last month on assignment in Syria. Four days after, Murdoch flew back to the UK to reassure Sun staff that he has no intention to close the paper, The Huffington Post reported.

Image: guardian.co.uk