ICO denies seeking to publish Operation Motorman files

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has denied reports that it is seeking to apply to the courts for permission to publish the redacted files from Operation Motorman.

The Independent claimed today that Christopher Graham was seeking "the legal green light to publish" the data from its 2003 investigation into newspapers' use of private investigator Steve Whittamore.

Part of the files, relating to transactions with News International titles, was published by political blogger Guido Fawkes yesterday, a move that the ICO called "deeply irresponsible".

Today's Independent article claims: "In a proactive move that would sideline the current restrictions of the Data Protection Act, Mr Graham wants the courts to give his office the legal green light to publish files it has held for almost nine years on Steve Whittamore."

However, the ICO said in a statement this morning: "The Independent article today is wrong. The information commissioner is not applying to the courts for permission to publish the files."

Graham told BBC Radio 4's World at One yesterday he was "very disappointed and really very angry" about the leak. He said the related issues were a "very grey area and just putting stuff on the internet doesn't help".

The Hacked Off campaign has been calling for Lord Justice Leveson, who has access to the files, to publish them as part of his inquiry into press standards.

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