Rowling, Grant involved in hacking probe

LONDON, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- The judge heading an investigation into alleged phone hacking by a British tabloid gave "core participant" status to many potential victims Wednesday.

Judge Brian Leveson's ruling means Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, movie star Hugh Grant, actress Sienna Miller, the parents of slain schoolgirl Millie Dowler and Kate and Gerald McCann, whose daughter disappeared during a vacation in Portugal, will be able to participate in questioning witnesses, The Evening Standard reported. All applied for the status.

International media baron Rupert Murdoch shut down the News of the World because of the scandal, which began several years ago. It exploded this year with a report that a detective working for the paper had hacked Millie Dowler's cellphone while she was missing and deleted some of her messages.

Leveson also made newspaper publishing companies and executives "core participants," including News International, which owned News of the World, CNN reported.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who had hired a former News of the World Editor as his spokesman, set up the Leveson investigation.