The Sun: Five more journalists arrested
About eight months after the tabloid *News of the World* ceased publication, the justice system has turned its attention more sharply toward Britain's largest newspaper, *The Sun*. Over the weekend, five more reporters from the paper were arrested.
In addition, three men were arrested, including a member of the army, the police said. According to media reports, the other two are a police officer and an employee of the Ministry of Defense. Four Sun journalists were arrested just two weeks ago. The most recent arrests relate to suspicion of bribery, corruption and abuse of office, as well as aiding and abetting. The men were released on bail shortly afterwards and are due to appear in court again in March and May. The arrests are a further highlight in the affair surrounding media entrepreneur Murdoch's empire in the UK. Last July, the Sunday newspaper News of the World was shut down. Prior to this, new allegations had come to light in the long-running affair surrounding the illegal tapping of telephone mailboxes by the paper's reporters.
Editor-in-chief "shocked"
British media reported on Sunday that Murdoch had assured his employees that the Sun was not in danger and that he would not give it up or sell it. The 80-year-old is expected to travel to London next week. Sun editor-in-chief Dominic Mohan said on Saturday that he was "shocked" by the arrests. However, he said he was determined to lead the newspaper through these "difficult times".
According to News Corporation, the company itself has passed on information to the investigators of the "Elveden" special commission. "News Corporation stands by its commitment to ensure that unacceptable news gathering practices used by individuals in the past are not repeated," it said.
Highest-circulation paper
Two weeks ago, a police officer from Scotland Yard and four reporters and editors from The Sun newspaper were also arrested on suspicion of corruption. The investigations are ongoing. All five have since been released on bail.
Since its purchase by Murdoch's News Corporation group in 1969, the Sun has become the UK's highest-circulation newspaper with a focus on sex and scandal. The paper sells around 2.5 million copies a day. (SDA/DPA/AFP)
