Cahal Milmo and James Cusick | London | December 17

The Independent - Scale of Scotland Yard inquiry suggests a scandal to rival phone hacking by newspapers

The police investigation into computer hacking on behalf of newspapers is examining nearly 20 machines seized from private investigators and other individuals, suggesting that hundreds of individuals were targeted, The Independent can reveal.

A small Scotland Yard team of eight detectives and support staff is examining an archive of hundreds of thousands of messages and documents from the machines, amid suggestions that the number of victims of computer hacking on Fleet Street's behalf could eventually rival the total targeted in the News of the World phone hacking scandal.

Operation Tuleta, as the investigation is known, was launched in January to run alongside Operation Weeting, the Yard's ongoing investigation into voicemail interception at the NOTW. But it is understood that the remit of Tuleta is not limited to a single title and is investigating the alleged commissioning of computer hacking by several newspapers.