SYNERGY? Murdoch Network Reports Murdoch Paper Allegedly Hacked Other Murdoch Paper

The ongoing phone hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. takes another odd turn with the news that a News Corp. executive (and former editor) may have had her phone hacked by a private investigator working for a News Corp. newspaper. In an interesting side note, Sky News -- whose largest shareholder is News Corp. -- initially broke this story.

Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International and former editor of The Sun, has been shown evidence suggesting her phone was hacked more than 20 times by a private investigator employed by another Rupert Murdoch title, it emerged last night.

News International confirmed the 43-year-old media executive met detectives last week from Operation Weeting - Scotland Yard's third investigation into phone hacking - to see records showing she was targeted by Glenn Mulcaire, the private detective employed by the News of the World to eavesdrop on the voicemails of numerous public figures.

The alleged hacking took place between 2005 and 2006, when Ms Brooks, who is also a former editor of the NOTW, was in charge of The Sun, and raises the question of whether Mr Mulcaire was at the centre of an effort by Britain's top-selling Sunday newspaper to spy on its daily stablemate.

The revelation that Ms Brooks was a likely repeated target for Mr Mulcaire was made by Sky News, whose largest shareholder is Mr Murdoch's News Corp. In a blog, the broadcaster's City editor, Mark Kleinman, suggested the hacking could also have been done by the private investigator on behalf of a rival newspaper.

Previously:

Murdoch Ducks Questions On Phone Hacking Scandal

Vanity Fair: News Corp.'s Phone Hacking Cover-Up Is “Falling Apart”

UK Attorney: 7,000 People May Have Had Phone Messages Hacked By Murdoch's News Of The World