UK gov asks MI5 asked to crack encrypted Blackberry messages to help police nail rioters

Phone hacking, indeed. Britain's intelligence agency has been asked by the government to decrypt mobile messages, particularly those sent via BlackBerry Messenger, to aid police in prosecuting looters.

The move represents a change as officially MI5 is tasked with ensuring the national security of the United Kingdom from terrorist threats, weapons of mass destruction, and espionage, with the police taking the lead on maintaining public order.

(Guardian)