Freedom of speech at risk from big money?

Not a local issue, but an important one nevertheless.

Uzbeck billionaire Alisher Usmanov - the one that is trying to buy Arsenal football club - has taken exception to bloggers writing about his past criminal convictions.

Letters from high profile lawyers have forced an internet service provider to take down the blog of civil rights campaigner and former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray. Others removed from the Internet range from Arsenal fan sites to (accidentally) Boris Johnson MP's blog.

You can read about it at http://freecommonwealth.blogspot.com/2007/09/disappearing-blogs.html

More4's TV report is available here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOKnhHUSrkQ

Despite the websites being removed, you can still find out what all the fuss is about - there are many copies still out there on the Internet -just try this Google search:
potential arsenal chairman Alisher Usmanov

If you're on Facebook you can join the group "Craig Murray's blog should return"
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5716459921&ref=mf