Six journalists arrested in new phone-hacking lead

Six journalists who worked at News of the World have been arrested by police investigating phone-hacking at the now defunct newspaper.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed the arrests this morning by officers from Operation Weeting but say this is not related directly to that on-going inquiry into the interception of voicemail messages. The arrests today come from a separate line of inquiry and all six have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communication.

Three men and three women are currently being interviewed by police at various stations in London and Cheshire. Sky News is reporting that two of those arrested currently work at The Sun newspaper.

This suspected conspiracy is believed to have taken place primarily during 2005 to 2006. Police have said they will be making contact with people they believe to have been the victims of the suspected voicemail interceptions.

News of the World, owned by Rupert Murdoch, was closed down in 2011 following the daily phone-hacking revelations. A number of staff transferred to The Sun of which later launched a Sunday edition which now has a circulation of 2 million copies, although down on the former Sunday leader.

[Source: Met Police]