London, Jul 12: Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday accused Rupert Murdoch's newspapers of employing criminals to obtain confidential information about his family and others.
Brown told the BBC on that "The people that they work with are criminals. Known criminals. Criminals with records."
He said that early in his time in office it appeared that The Sunday Times -- part of Murdoch's News International Group -- had obtained confidential information on his bank account, legal files and possibly other material.
"I'm shocked, I'm genuinely shocked, to find that this happened because of their links with criminals, known criminals, who were undertaking this activity, hired by investigators with The Sunday Times," he said.
Later Tuesday, a legislative committee is to question senior London police officers about why they didn't pursue a phone hacking investigation at the tabloid News of the World two years ago.
The newspaper was shut amid a flurry of public indignation over allegations it hacked into phones, including that of a murdered 13-year-old.
Before Tuesday's hearing, opposition Labour Party legislators called for the resignation of John Yates, assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. He decided in 2009 that there was nothing more to investigate at the paper. Yates says he relied on advice from colleagues.
In 2007, a reporter and a private detective working for News of the World were sent to prison for hacking the voicemail messages of royal family employees. AP
