Murdoch to expand The Sun

LONDON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch says he will not close or sell The Sun newspaper despite the recent arrest of senior staff members for alleged corruption.

The arrests, tied to Britain's phone-hacking scandal, had spurred fears Murdoch would close the tabloid, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday. The Sun is Britain's top-selling paper, the Telegraph said.

Murdoch, who visited The Sun newsroom Friday, said the arrested journalists, investigated for allegedly making illegal payments, would be allowed to return to work and announced plans to start a Sunday version of the paper. He said illegal activities would not be tolerated but "everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise."

Five journalists at The Sun were arrested Saturday after information was passed to the police by the internal Management Standards Committee, created by News Corp. to deal with allegations of phone hacking and police corruption. Four current and former employees of the paper were detained earlier in the month. No charges have been filed.

Staff members have accused the committee of engaging in a witch hunt.

"There is unease about the way some of the best journalists in Fleet Street have ended up being arrested on evidence which the MSC has handed to the police," Trevor Kavanagh, associate editor of The Sun, was quoted as saying earlier this week, the Telegraph reported.