14 DAY TRIAL // News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former assistant news editor Ian Edmondson have been arrested as a result of a new investigation into the voicemail hacking of celebrities.
According to Sky News, the two men were questioned at police stations in south west London and were released on bail until September.
The new investigation into the actions of News of the World staff who paid private investigators to hack into the voicemail of celebrities, politicians and members of the royal family, was launched in January after the newspaper's parent company submitted new evidence to police.
"In January, News International voluntarily approached the Met Police and provided information that led to the opening of the current police investigation.
"News International terminated the employment of the assistant editor [Edmondson] of the News of the World at the same time.
"News International has consistently reiterated that it will not tolerate wrong-doing and is committed to acting on evidence.
"We continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing police investigation," the company following the new arrests.
Former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed back in 2007 for engaging in phone hacking.
The 2006 scandal gained new proportions in 2010 when the New York Times revealed the extent of unlawful interception of voicemail messages was much larger.
Andy Coulson, News of the World editor at the time when the scandal broke out, resigned over allegations that he was aware of the hacking.
He went on to join David Cameron's communications team in 2007 as director, a position from which he resigned in January 2011, amid renewed allegations that he was actively involved in the voicemail spying.
Several public figures, including actress Sienna Miller, actor Jude Law, footballer Paul Gascoigne, former MP George Galloway, comedian Steve Coogan and sports commentator Andy Gray have sued News International for articles supposedly based on the content of their voicemails.