News Corp "bargained with police over lives" in terrorism raids

[Swagman]

Artz affidavit: The Oz editor bargained over lives in AFP raid

by Margaret Simons

Former editor of The Australian, Paul Whittaker, bargained with the Australian Federal Police over how many lives would be lost if the newspaper published its scoop on the Operation Neath anti-terrorism operation before raids took place, it was revealed in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

The Commissioner of the AFP, Tony Negus, said that when he told Whittaker — now editor of the Daily Telegraph — that lives would be at risk if he published, Whittaker replied: “Well, how many lives are at risk?”

Negus said he responded that if the suspected terrorists were alerted to police attention, they “may actually go to the nearest shopping centre and decide to take action because they won’t have time to prepare properly”.

Negus said Whittaker replied: “Well, what are we talking about, one person being killed, or are we talking about a number of people being killed?”

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/11/02/artz-affidavit-the-oz-editor-bargained-over-lives-in-afp-raid/

[Scuba]

1. Sounds like they were going for the bigger bang. Sells more papers. Keeps more People afraid. nt/