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December 29, 2009

Met office Dizaei in NoW libel payout

By Press Gazette

The News of the World ha apologised and paid libel damages to Metropolitan police officer Ali Dizaei.

It follows a story in which the paper claimed he dishonestly employed an illegal immigrant..

This weekend the NoW printed an apology saying: “On 15 March 2009 we reported that Commander Ali Dizaei of the Metropolitan police was responsible for serious security breaches at the House of Commons and Scotland Yard.

“We now accept that this was not the case and that there were no security breaches nor did he (or his wife) knowingly employ an illegal immigrant. We apologise to Commander Dizaei for the distress and embarrassment caused by our report.”

In October Dizaei launched a legal battle against the Daily Mail over claims he seriously breached police regulations.

A front page Daily Mail story published in September last year, headlined “Dizaei and the Crooked Lawyer” claimed to reveal links between the “Met’s most controversial senior officer and a fraudster lawyer” – a writ filed at the High Court has stated.

Dizaei has launched a libel action seeking unlimited damages for defamation over claims made in the article.

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