Brown accuses Murdoch paper of hiring criminals

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown accused Rupert Murdoch's media empire of using criminals to obtain his private documents. In a major twist that led to the closure of the Murdoch-owned News of the World, Brown accused its stablemate of using con trick to obtain bank details and legal documents relating to a flat he bought. He also said that the report by the newspaper  The Sun, another Murdoch paper, which obtained information that his son had cystic fibrosis, adding that when he saw the news in the front page in 2006, he was "left in tears". Brown told the newspaper reporters thathe was shocked to see that media got access to his building society account, they got access to legal documents with the help of criminals, who were undertaking this activity, who had close links with the newspaper. In the latest twist, it was reported that Prince Charles and his wife Camilla had their voice mails hacked. Media also reported that the police officers assigned with the work of protecting the members of the royal family had sold their details to the News of the World, and the tabloid owners knew about this, but they remained silent about it. The scandal prompted Murdoch to close down the 168 year-old tabloid last week, and sparked intense political pressure on his New Corp's controversial bid for control of satellite broadcaster BSkyB. New corp. announced on Monday that it was withdrawing the concessions which it had offered, prompting the government to refer the bid to the Competition Commission. Murdoch later flew to London  on Sunday to offer his full support to Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International. Brooks was editor of News of the World from 2000 to 2003, and then moved to The Sun, but denied any knowledge about phone hacking. Brown said that it ws Brooks who called him to tell him in 2006 that the tabloid was breaking the story about the illness of his son, who was then four months old. Although he did not balme the newspaper The Sun of wrongdoing, he said that he cant think how they got the medical reports legitimately. Scotland yard has launched a new investigation into the phone hacking in January, and on Monday it warned that leaks to the media- incuding about alleged payments to royal protection officers- threatened to undermine its efforts. But it is under pressure and several officers were asked to be present before the parliament 's home affairs committee on Tuesday. The original 2006 investigation led to the News of the World then royal editor and a private investigator being jailed. Reported by        AR