James Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, announced today that British tabloid News of the World will close, following revelations that the paper engaged in systematic hacking of phones.

Notice that instead of holding the executives responsible who authorized this outrageous hacking, the Murdoch family chose to simply shut down the entire newspaper: News of the World to close on Sunday, says James Murdoch.

The tabloid newspaper will be published for the last time on Sunday after it was rocked by the phone hacking scandal.

Mr Murdoch said in a statement: ”Having consulted senior colleagues, I have decided that we must take further decisive action with respect to the paper. This Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World.”

The shock development came as police said there could be as many as 4,000 victims of phone hacking by the paper, which has been published for 168 years.

He praised the paper’s achievements but condemned this week’s revelations that phone hacking victims may have included murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, bereaved military families and relatives of 7/7 bombing victims.

He said: “The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong.

“Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company.”
Mr Murdoch admitted that the paper’s internal inquiry into earlier phone hacking claims was inadequate.