NYT move to block Web to Britons raises questions

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) A New York Times decision to block British online readers from seeing a story about London terrorism suspects raises new questions on restricting the flow of information in the Internet age, legal and media experts say.

The New York Times said yesterday it had blocked British Internet readers from seeing a story detailing elements of the investigation into a suspected plot to blow up airliners between Britain and the United States.

The story was published in Monday's paper. Under British laws, courts will punish media organisations that publish material that judges feel may influence jurors and prevent suspects receiving a fair trial.

''There has not been a prosecution for contempt over anybody publishing outside this jurisdication (Britain), but logically there is no reason why there should not be,'' said Caroline Kean, partner at UK media law firm Wiggin.

While restricting what British media can report has been effective in the past, the Internet has made it far harder to stop information published by foreign outlets, which may breach Britain's laws, from being seen by UK readers.

The New York Times article cited unnamed investigators providing information not given publicly by British police.

It detailed the content of martydom videos and bomb-making equipment found by police and said an attempt to blow up the airliners was not as imminent as authorities had suggested.

The same article appeared on the paper's Web site, http://www.nytimes.com, but readers in Britain who clicked on the headline received the notice ''This Article Is Unavailable.'' MORE REUTERS KR PM1958

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