Senior Murdoch man hits at 'too close' co-operation with police

Following the arrest of five more Sun reporters over the weekend, associate editor Trevor Kavanagh, a long-time friend and confidant of Rupert Murdoch, spoke out about senior managers' decision to hand over evidence to Scotland Yard.

The management and standards committee, established to investigate alleged criminality at Murdoch's British newspapers, has passed 300 million emails, reporters' expenses claim forms and internal memos to the Metropolitan Police in a bid to ward off accusations of a corporate cover-up.

The evidence is believed to have triggered the arrests of 10 Sun journalists on suspicion of paying public officials, including police officers, for stories.

However, in an escalation of the so-called "civil war" gripping News International, Kavanagh, 69, today defended the practice and claimed the suspects were "doing their jobs as journalists".

He said the reporters acted "as journalists have acted on all newspapers through the ages, unearthing stories that shape our lives, often obstructed by those who prefer to operate behind closed doors".

In an article published today without the knowledge of News International chief executive Tom Mockridge, he wrote: "These stories sometimes involve whistleblowers. Sometimes money changes hands. This has been standard procedure as long as newspapers have existed, here and abroad. There is nothing disreputable about it. And, as far as we know at this point, nothing illegal. Without good sources no newspaper could uncover scandals in the public interest."

Kavanagh also attacked police treatment of the Sun journalists and said his colleagues had been treated like "members of an organised crime gang.

Wives and children have been humiliated as up to 20 officers at a time rip up floorboards and sift through intimate possessions".

Many News International employees have spoken of the "betrayal" felt at the management and standards committee's co-operation with police. However, until Kavanagh's intervention, no current journalist had voiced their concerns in public.

"It is absolutely right the company co-operates with police on inquiries ranging from phone and computer hacking to illegal payments," he wrote. "But some of the greatest legends in Fleet Street have been held, at least on the basis of evidence so far revealed, for simply doing their jobs as journalists."

Mr Murdoch is flying into London this week. Any evidence that suggests News International titles bribed police could trigger an investigation by American authorities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. News International refused to comment.