'This is a serious development and raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press.' ABC Managing Director David Anderson after Australian police raid public broadcaster ABC HQ in relation to allegations of publishing classified material
ABC’s editorial director Craig McMurtrie speaks to the media as Australian police raided the headquarters of public broadcaster in Sydney on June 5, 2019. ABC executives said police executed a search warrant at the corporation's offices in Sydney, targeting three journalists involved in a two-year-old investigative report.
The ABC said the raid was over its 2017 reports about alleged misconduct by Australian troops in Afghanistan, while News Corp said the raid at an editor's home on Tuesday related to a 2018 report about plans for surveillance of Australians' emails, text messages and bank records. News Corp, controlled by media baron Rupert Murdoch, called the raid "outrageous and heavy-handed," and "a dangerous act of intimidation".
The ABC investigations editor, John Lyons, tweeted a photo of the search warrant which showed the targets included two ABC journalists, the organisation's news director and a former Australian military lawyer, David William McBride, who was charged last year with leaking national secrets. Media reports said he had pleaded not guilty.
The home affairs minister must authorise raids considered politically sensitive, according to guidelines on the police website. Police confirmed they had not notified Dutton in advance and said their actions were "independent and impartial at all times".
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