Lawmaker orders probe of Yahoo China event
The chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has ordered an investigation into Yahoo's role in the arrest of a Chinese Internet journalist serving a 10-year sentence for allegedly distributing state secrets in e-mail, according to the Associated Press.
Shi Tao was arrested in 2004 by Chinese officials after Yahoo cooperated with a request to provide information about the Yahoo Mail customer. At a hearing last year, Yahoo general counsel Michael Callahan said that Yahoo did not know what the nature of the investigation of Shi was when it handed over the information to the Chinese government.
However, the Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights group that focuses on China, released a document late last month that it says shows that the Beijing State Security Bureau had told Yahoo in writing that Shi was suspected of "illegal provision of state secrets to foreign entities."
"For a firm engaged in the information industry, Yahoo sure has a lot of secrecy to answer for," House Foreign Affairs Chairman Tom Lantos, a California Democrat, said on Friday. "We expect to learn the truth and to hold the company to account."
"Covering up such a despicable practice when Congress seeks an explanation is a serious offense," he said.
Yahoo spokesman Jim Cullinan said the company would cooperate fully with the committee.
"Yahoo's testimony was accurate and forthright, and while we regret Chairman Lantos is rushing to judgment we look forward to working with Chairman Lantos to explain the facts surrounding the case," he said.
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor. 
- China doesn't have NSA!!! US hypocricy
- by niravabhavsar August 3, 2007 8:04 PM PDT
- Since, China doesn't have NSA to read everyone's emails they use companies like yahoo and google to provide info to them when needed. I think it is more cost effective. :P
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- Absolutely right!
- by expatincebu August 4, 2007 7:33 PM PDT
- Same as the U.S. complaining about China increasing their military
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(5 Comments)How can you blame them for not having democracy? Soviets were defeated because they become poor and Chinese are winning because they are becoming richer. Afterall we all buy Chinese stuff. Count 10 items in your home that is not Chinese. You buy chinese and make the government stronger and than blame our own companies for cooperation with them. Hypocricy!!!!
budget when it is only a small fraction of what America spends on
its bloated military. Americans think their sh*t does not stink when
in truth their are the ones fouling up the whole world.