U.K. phone-hacking inquiry to examine links to ‘rogue’ intelligence services

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United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron agreed last week to allow the News of the World phone-hacking inquiry to examine allegations that the newspaper’s publisher, the London-based News International, had close dealings with “rogue” members of the intelligence services.

The allegations were made by Member of Parliament Tom Watson in the House of Commons, according to The Guardian.

“Can I ask the prime minister would he allow Lord Leveson access to the intelligence services as well?” Watson asked. “At the murkier ends of this scandal there are allegations that rogue elements in the intelligence services had very close dealings with executives at News International. We need to get to the bottom of that.”

Cameron replied that Leveson, who will be leading the inquiry, was “free to make submissions to this inquiry and to point out evidence and to point out conclusions from that evidence and ask the inquiry to follow that.”

RELATED: Former Fox News producer claimed network’s ‘Brain Room’ led to phone hacking

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said Sunday that the Congress should investigate whether the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act had been violated by Rupert Murdoch’s U.S.-based News Corporation, which owns News International and other news outlets, such as the Fox News Channel.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice have launched their own investigations into whether News Corp. participated in the hacking of 9/11 victims or U.S. officials.

News of the World closed down after an investigation revealed it had participated in the phone hacking of celebrities, British politicians, the families of terrorist attack victims, dead soldiers and others.

Rupert and James Murdoch are both scheduled to give testimony before Parliament on Tuesday. So far, 10 people have been arrested in connection to the News International phone hacking scandals.