Yahoo exec apologizes to US lawmakers on China: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A senior executive at Yahoo has apologized for misleading U.S. lawmakers on the company's cooperation with a request by China for details on a journalist who was later jailed, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday in its online edition.

The Journal reported that Michael Callahan, an executive vice president and general counsel of the Internet company, said he "deeply" regretted comments he made in two hearings in February 2006.

The WSJ said Callahan met members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to apologize.

The Journal said it had come to light that China's request to Yahoo included a reference to state secrets, that Callahan was informed of this in October 2006 and neglected to inform the committee.

A Yahoo spokeswoman told the newspaper that Callahan would repeat the apology at a committee hearing next week where he and Chief Executive Jerry Yang will testify about actions that may have led to the conviction of the journalist.

Media watchdogs have previously said Yahoo gave details about emails that helped identify, and were used as evidence, against Shi Tao, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leaking state secrets abroad.

Representatives from Yahoo were not immediately available for comment.