Met Police Commissioner Resigns

[Bosonic]

Source: Sky News

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has resigned amid claims relating to the phone hacking scandal.

The head of the Met has left his post.

In a statement he said:

"I've taken this decision as a consequence of the ongoing speculation and accusations relating to the Met's links with News International at a senior level and in particular, with relation to Mr Neil Wallis who as you know was arrested as part of Operation Weeting last week."

Read more: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Metropolitan-Police-Commissioner-Sir-Paul-Stephenson-Resigns-Amid-Phone-Hacking-Inquiry/Article/201107316032138?lpos=Home_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_16032138_Metropolitan_Police_Commissioner_Sir_Paul_Stephenson_Res

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The dominoes are falling.

[Stuart G]

2. at 9 am this morn, central time..this was predicted at this link:

malaise predicted it in a thread in the discussion forum here:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1507744

[peacetalksforall]

6. Congratulations, Malaise! Thanks..

[Uben]

11. I think anyone could have predicted that....

...it was like predicting the sun would rise in the east.

[Arrowhead2k1]

3. I wish this was going down in America... nt

[peacetalksforall]

4. What's the count? Arrested? Resigned? (with names and associations, please) Thanks.

[GliderGuider]

10. You can start here with The Guardian:

Timeline of phone-hacking arrests

The list of people who were arrested as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden

Ian Edmondson

5 April 2011: Former News of the World assistant editor (news) arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into alleged phone hacking

Neville Thurlbeck

5 April 2011: News of the World chief reporter arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting

James Weatherup

14 April 2011: News of the World assistant news editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting

Terenia Taras

23 June 2011: freelance journalist arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting

Laura Elston

28 June 2011: Press Association royal correspondent arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting

Clive Goodman

8 July 2011: Former News of the World royal editor, jailed in January 2007 for intercepting voicemail messages of members of the royal household, arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden, the Met investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers

Andy Coulson

8 July 2011: Former News of the World editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden

63-year-old man

8 July 2011: Man whose identity is unknown arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden

Neil Wallis

14 July 2011: Former News of the World deputy editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting.

Rebekah Brooks

17 July 2011: News International chief executive and former News of the World editor arrested as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden.

• This article was amended on 17 July. The article originally stated that Neil Wallis was a former NoW executive editor. He was deputy editor. This has been corrected.

[valerief]

13. +1000

[peacetalksforall]

28. Thanks - excellent. And thanks Guardian.

[GliderGuider]

5. Wow! I never expected it to unravel this fast!

:woohoo:

[TheMadMonk]

27. Once this sort of thing comes apart, it comes apart fast.

Once it's know what folk like this are up to, they are pretty much unable to "get up to" anything more without lighting a big flashing "I'm gulity" sign.

[Stuart G]

7. Couldn't happen to more deserving..,,

assholes...:sarcasm:

[roberto IS beto]

8. Bosonic, you look so "Bob-like"

I wonder if Eric Holder will have to resign?
Now, please excuse me while I pull the wool over my own eyes.

[givemebackmycountry]

9. Malaise is knee deep in the soccer game right now, but yes.

She called it early this morning.
I'm sure she'll be back later on tonight to pick up her accolades!

:toast: :hi: :toast:

[GliderGuider]

12. It looks like Asst. Commissioner Yates is at risk too. And I have a very dark niggling thought...

ETA: You can add Andy Hayman (former chief of the Met's counter-terrorism unit) to the list as well (http://www.smh.com.au/world/yards-investigation-was-lazy-incompetent-and-too-cosy-at-best-20110717-1hk97.html)

My dark thought is this: Do all these Byzantine threads lead back to Dr. David Kelly?

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. The Met didn't handle the Kelly case at all, since he died outside London

That was handled by Thames Valley police.

[GliderGuider]

15. Ah, thanks. (edited to add)

I'll put my inner Mel Gibson back to sleep then. Unless Murdoch's Minions had connections in the TV police. Nah, that's just paranoid talk...

Edited to add this bit of stink:

David Cameron rules out further inquiries into death of Dr David Kelly

Sir Peter Tapsell, a senior Tory backbencher, asked Mr Cameron during Prime Minister’s Questions: “Now that there is to be an investigation into the abduction or murder of Madeleine McCann, isn’t there a much stronger case for a full investigation into the suicide or murder of Dr David Kelly?”

Mr Cameron said while he welcomed the Metropolitan Police review into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, he was not supportive of a similar move in the case of Dr Kelly.

David Cameron said the Hutton report into the Government weapons inspector's death had been “fairly clear”, adding: “I don't think it's necessary to take that case forward.”

The remarks appeared to catch the office of the Attorney General off-guard, with officials suggesting that nothing had change. A spokesman for Mr Grieve’s office said he would announce “in due course” whether he will ask the High Court to order an inquest.

Hmmm....

[KoKo]

26. Amazing...I was thinking today a "way out thought"...what about David Kelly? Did he die

because of a Murdoch phone Tap...and I'll add in another one...what about Princess Diana? How did the Press know where that Mercedes was going...

I'm sure this is just my "conspiratorial wanderings" and that one can get carried away with the "What If" that really doesn't mesh with reality.

Still..given Murdoch's Reach and Empire...it does lead one to endless unfounded speculation.

[Ghost Dog]

16. + Special Branch.

+ SIS, of course.

[GliderGuider]

18. Yes, Special Branch was first on the scene, weren't they? (and another edit)

Added:

Andy Hayman, who is identified as having close connections with Murdoch's Minions, was chief of counter-terrorism (Special Branch) that was part of the Met until 2006. and two Special Branch officers were apparently Johnny-on-the-spot when Kelly was suicided.

Whether the Met directly investigated Kelly's death or not, they are certainly implicated. And lest we forget, Murdoch was instrumental in selling the march to war with Iraq that Kelly was threatening to derail.

[GliderGuider]

20. Further to this... (Wow, just ... wow)

The landscape is getting more and more surreal.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/13/news-international-rogue-intelligence-agents">News International accused of dealings with 'rogue' intelligence agents

MI6 (GG: that's SIS) and MI5 were drawn into the phone hacking scandal when News International executives were accused in parliament of having close dealings with "rogue" members of the intelligence services.

David Cameron said the inquiry into hacking would be free to examine the allegations made in the Commons by Tom Watson, the former Labour defence minister who has campaigned against phone hacking.

Watson said: "Can I ask the prime minister would he allow Lord Leveson access to the intelligence services as well? At the murkier ends of this scandal there are allegations that rogue elements in the intelligence services had very close dealings with executives at News International. We need to get to the bottom of that."

The more I read today, the more plausible it becomes that Murdoch and Co. were at the heart of Dr. Kelly's murder.

I lived through Watergate, and I think this scandal dwarfs it completely. We are seeing the entire corporate/political/intelligence edifice of the UK and probably the US cracking wide open before our eyes. Un-fucking-believable.

[AndyTiedye]

21. That Would Explain How They Were Able to "Hack" So Many Phones

Surely not everyone left their voicemail with the default password,
yet they seemed to be getting into practically everybody's voicemail.
How?

With the help of the intelligence services, who most likely have back doors. That's how!

They most likely have the same arrangement with the NSA here (that "other" secret program
alluded to in Ashcroft's hospital conversation). That would explain a lot about our Congress.

[Kingofalldems]

17. Please take notes on who tries to stop an investigation

in the US. I bet lots of people are very nervous right now.

[Historic NY]

19. Just another brick in the wall...........its all tumbling down.

[Snoutport]

22. (Scotland Yard) Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson resigns (over phone hacking and connecti

Source: BBC

Video

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14180060

---

The head of Scotland Yard has stepped down. One of the main reasons? His connection to Neil Wallace--one of Murdoch's Minions.

Any connection to Murdoch is becoming toxic.

[aquart]

23. Lovely.

[oldhippydude]

24. maybe they were right.. (John Dean et el)

i do remember watergate drip, drip, dripping.. break out the popcorn this is going to be a hell of a movie.. the cast of characters just gets bigger..

[defendandprotect]

25. Elites and MAFIA have a lot in common -- organized crime -- corruption of law enforcement ---

government -- courts --

[peacetalksforall]

29. I can't get this out of my mind - everyone of of the

people who allowed and approvedprivate investigator to enter and use the police database.

In this country it would never happen because of the terrorism threat. Right!

Shout out when we hear that those responsible have been jailed.