Interbrew withdraws threat to seize assets
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Interbrew withdrew a threat yesterday to seize the assets of a national newspaper in its legal battle to force four news organisations to surrender leaked documents.
The Belgian brewing company had been due to apply to the High Court on Tuesday to enforce an order that would have resulted in The Guardian facing the freezing of its finances or daily fines until it surrendered the papers relating to an alleged takeover bid.
But lawyers for Interbrew agreed to adjourn the hearing indefinitely after the newspaper complained that it was being unfairly singled out and was not being given enough time to prepare for the hearing.
The Guardian is being sued along with The Times and Financial Times newspapers, and Reuters news agency, for the return of the document that Interbrew claims would expose a corporate mole.
A similar action against The Independent was withdrawn after Interbrew accepted its information was acquired in a different manner from that of the other news organisations.
The brewer believes the "doctored" documents were leaked deliberately to mislead the stock market into believing it was launching a possible bid for South African Breweries.
All five media groups have refused to hand over the documents and believe the case endangers the right of journalists to protect their sources and press freedom.
The brewer attempted to settle the wrangle last week by asking for the documents to be surrendered to the Financial Services Authority, which has begun a fraud investigation.
The Times, the FT and Reuters have been given time to consider the proposal but Interbrew had said it would pursue The Guardian after the paper said the documents were in the possession of the journalist who wrote the story and it was not willing to compel him to hand them over.
Alan Rusbridger, the editor of The Guardian, said he was "very pleased" Interbrew had withdrawn its threat.