This means that up to 400 previously unknown victims (others, making up a total of 600, are already known) will be made public in preparation for the charge sheet. “The list is expected to reveal more well-known figures typical of the News of the World's alleged targets, such as actors, pop stars, politicians and murder victims,” says the report. “Media attention is likely to centre on whether any more Hollywood stars join Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the charge sheet.”
Any of the alleged victims wishing to remain private will not be named, according to the Independent. However, interest will center around whether additional A-list celebrities were hacked by the journalists. So far, the known list of celebs includes Wayne Rooney, Sir Paul McCartney, Sienna Miller, Jude Law, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
The wider issues of the phone hacking scandal have been the subject of the Leveson Inquiry. Numerous politicians, celebrities, journalists – and even political blogger Guido Fawkes – have given evidence before Lord Justice Leveson. Guido Fawkes (Irishman Paul Staines) has a history of publishing politically embarrassing news, and was credited with breaking the MP’s expenses scandal. He made it clear to Leveson that he (as an Irish citizen) did not feel bound by UK law, nor that what he published in a blog hosted on foreign soil was subject to UK law.
"What I think you're missing is that I'm a citizen of a free republic and, since 1922, I don't have to pay attention to what a British judge orders me to do,” he told the Leveson inquiry.
Since part of Leveson’s remit is to discuss “Recommendations for a more effective policy and regulation that supports the integrity and freedom of the press while encouraging the highest ethical standards,” the whole inter-jurisdictional problem of international corporations together with the international nature of the internet for blogger/journalists is likely to prove a thorny issue.