Publisher of 'Harry Potter' denies plagiarism

[June 16, 2009]  LONDON (AP) -- The publisher of the wildly popular and profitable "Harry Potter" books says it intends to fight a lawsuit alleging author J.K. Rowling stole the idea for them.

A statement from Bloomsbury Publishing PLC says the suit alleges Rowling took the idea for the boy wizard from an author named Adrian Jacobs. It says Jacobs has since died but the suit was brought by his estate.

Bloomsbury said Tuesday that such a plagiarism allegation is "unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue" and that Rowling had "never heard of Adrian Jacobs nor seen, read, or heard of his book."

Bloomsbury says Jacobs' book -- "Willy the Wizard" -- had limited distribution.

[Associated Press]

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