Yet.
The story thus far:
When the former News of the World reporter Sean Hoare was found dead Monday at his home in Watford, north of London, the immediate response of the Hertfordshire police was to issue a public statement declaring his death to be “unexplained but not thought to be suspicious.”
The statement is at the very least extraordinary, and at worst sinister in its implications. Hoare is the man who broke silence on the corrupt practices at the News of the World and, most specifically, alleged that former editor Andy Coulson, who later became Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications, was fully aware of phone hacking that took place on an “industrial scale.”
Under these circumstances, before either a post-mortem or any investigation had been mounted, how could such a claim be made by the police?
The morning after Hoare’s body was found, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson and his former deputy, John Yates, were to give evidence before a home affairs select committee. Stephenson had tendered his resignation Sunday and Yates Monday. They were to be quizzed by MPs on their failure to pursue any serious investigation into phone hacking or on the bribing of police officers. This was to be followed by the quizzing of News Corporation head Rupert Murdoch, his son James, chairman of News International, and former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks.
The death of Hoare means that his testimony will never be heard by any such inquiry or, more importantly, by any criminal investigation that may arise.
That's your key, right there. Hoare cannot testify. Will not. Has been prevented by events from...
Hm. Convenient, no?
Well, coinky-dinks like this are common in Britain, aren't they? And in the USofA?
Hm.
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UPDATE: From the Telegraph (UK)
The Prime Minister David Cameron said [In reference to Mr. Hoare's unsuspicious demise]: “The death of anyone is a tragedy for that person."
Yes. Well. Isn't that the truth.
Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along.
The Prime Minister David Cameron said [In reference to Mr. Hoare's unsuspicious demise]: “The death of anyone is a tragedy for that person."
ReplyDeleteHe might think that, but I could not possibly comment.
Cameron's follow on quote is really quite stunning when you parse it out:
ReplyDelete"“We should all think of the friends and loved ones of Mr Hoare and what has happened to him. That should be uppermost in our thoughts.”
Yes. We should think about "what has happened to him." Yes.
Given the baroque locutions of British politics, when I read that, cold chills went down my spine. It's practically an admission of murder most foul. Who done it is the obvious question.
There will be movies made.
Hopefully Cameron won't be Prime Minister much longer, but who can say. His survival will be a good test of the British system.
ReplyDelete