Thursday 4 July 2013

The Kim Dotcom - John Key confrontation

Classic signs of a trap in the making
Is a noose slowly being tightened around the Prime Minister's neck?



4 July, 2013

Kim Dotcom may have wasted the first 14 of his allotted 15 minutes in front of Parliament's intelligence and security committee reading out a worthy but turgid statement outlining the failings of legislation clarifying the functions of the Government Communications Security Bureau - the agency that illegally spied on the Megaupload founder. But then came the sting.

As a modern-day soothsayer warning of the pending "Dark Ages of Spying", he was suitably attired in his trademark black, barring a thin red line running along his trainers. His only concession to the committee was to remove his baseball cap - black, of course.

His treatise, however, failed to excite Winston Peters, who was fighting a losing battle with his drooping eyelids. But Peters knew what was coming after John Key, who is chairing the hearings on the bill, generously agreed to a request from the Greens' Russel Norman for an extension of time for Dotcom.

On Tuesday, Peters had posed a series of questions asking Key whether he had been telling the truth about what he knew and when about the January 2012 police raid on the Dotcom mansion at Coatesville.

Key replied with an unequivocal "yes".

With Dotcom due to turn up the next day, Key ought to have smelled an extremely large rodent.

By this stage Peters was wide awake with his devilish smile flashing across his face as Labour's David Shearer asked Dotcom if he thought Key was aware of him and his activities long before the Prime Minister has consistently said he knew. "He knew about me before the raid ... You know I know," Dotcom replied, staring at Key. Peters' smile just kept on broadening.

Outside the hearing, Dotcom accused Key of lying to all New Zealanders when he had said he did not know about him. Proof of that would be presented at Dotcom's extradition hearing. If it stands up, Key's resignation might well be in order. It is as simple as that.

Then Dotcom was off. He had arrived at Parliament about an hour earlier, having flown from Auckland to Wellington by helicopter. So what had the helicopter flight been like? "Very bumpy," was the curt response.

He might have used the same description for his 22-minute appearance in front of the committee.



More cover from Russian TV than from NZ media!!

Dark ages of spying’: Kim Dotcom lashes out at NZealand surveillance bill
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom speaks as he comes face to face for the first time with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key as lawmakers examine a controversial proposal allowing intelligence agencies to spy on local residents at Bowen House in Wellington on July 03, 2013.


RT,
3 July, 2013

Tensions between Kim Dotcom and Prime Minister John Key were raised as the pair sparred at a parliamentary committee hearing on the government’s proposed surveillance law, with Dotcom voicing his opposition to the controversial legislation.

The New Zealand government has proposed a change in the law to allow the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCJB) to provide support to the New Zealand Police, Defense Force and the Security Intelligence Service. 
Dotcom was voicing his opposition to the law and was the star of the show on the second day of hearings of the secretive Security and Intelligence Committee.
We should avoid blindly following the US into the dark ages of spying. In the end, the GCSB is just a subsidiary of the (US) National Security Agency and the US government calls all the shots,” he told the committee.
Dotcom went on to urge New Zealanders to repeat their “heroic stance” of the 1980’s when they declared New Zealand nuclear free, by rejecting the proposed bill. 
There has never been a greater need for New Zealanders to once again step forward and declare their values shall not be abandoned or suspended under pressure from the United States,” he said.
He also pointed out that the proposed extension of spying powers was “poorly timed considering the scandalous leaks concerning US mass surveillance of the world’s population, including US allies.”
This is the first time the committee, which is being chaired by John Key the New Zealand Prime Minister, has opened its doors to the public.
Other concerns

Dr. Rodney Harrison QC, a senior barrister, told the committee that further details on the extent of the proposed legislation were needed before it was made law.
The first and most critical question is, precisely what activities are to be engaged in by the GCSB. We don’t even know the answer to this question,” he said.
The government needs 61 votes in order to pass the bill but is currently one vote short.
Mr Key needs Peter Dunne, an independent MP, to vote for it if it is to pass, as the Maori Party, the governments other support partner is unlikely to give its backing.
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom (L) speaks as he comes face to face for the first time with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key (R) as lawmakers examine a controversial proposal allowing intelligence agencies to spy on local residents at Bowen House in Wellington on July 3, 2013. (AFP Photo)


If Dunne’s vote is not forth coming, Key will have to go to the New Zealand Frist party for support; a small, populist, cross-bench party.
New Zealand’s GCSB is a partner in the so-called “five-eyes” group, a technical and information sharing partnership, which is officially called The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) and includes the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand and which is led by America’s National Security Agency.
Dotcom’s spying claims

Dotcom is being sought by the US on charges of copyright infringement and money laundering, in connection with his file sharing site Megaupload.
Dotcom is claiming he has evidence that Key, contrary to repeated public assurances, had been aware of his activities before a dramatic raid on Kim Dotcom’s mansion north of Auckland last year.
Kim Dotcom’s status as a permanent resident of New Zealand meant the GCSB was not allowed to spy on him. The Prime Minster later issued a public apology over the incident.
Abuse of spying powers is not limited to national security matters. The GCSB was involved in the raid on my home to support an alleged breach of copyright, it has nothing to do with terrorism or national security,” he said.
Oh he knew about me before the raid, I know about that. You know I know,” said dotcom staring straight at Key. 
I know you don’t know. I know you don’t know,” the Prime Minster replied.
Why are you turning red, Prime Minister?” Kim quipped back.
I’m not. Why are you sweating?” said Key.
It’s hot. I have a scarf,” said Kim.
After the hearing Kim told the New Zealand TV3 Campbell live program, while grinning at the camera, “I do not know Edward Snowdon personally, that’s all I want to say about this.” 
Key later told reporters that Kim was “a well-known conspiracy theorist. He’s utterly wrong.”




Kim Dotcom talks to Campbell Live after GCSB hearing


3 July, 2013

Kim Dotcom was spied on illegally by the GCSB. The High Court determined that. The Prime Minister agreed the High Court was right and apologised to Dotcom.

As a result of all that, we know a whole lot more stuff about what the GCSB gets up to than anyone ever thought we would know

That came to a head today when Dotcom appeared before the select committee looking at extending the GCSB's powers.

The Prime Minister is the minister in charge of the GCSB, so he was the head of the select committee.

Dotcom was there to give evidence and argue against the extension of the GCSB's powers.

Dotcom spoke to John Campbell after the hearing tonight.

"I wanted to talk about the intrusions into privacy and the dangers for New Zealanders, losing their basic human right to privacy," says Dotcom.

Dotcom says the recent leaks by Edward Snowden about the US NSA's PRISM programme highlight the need for privacy in the digital age.

"It's highly likely the GCSB is also involved in this kind of mass surveillance," he says. "Recently when the Prime Minister was asked in Parliament if the GCSB is splicing into the submarine cable and copying everything that is passing through there, he wouldn't answer that question.

"He would say it's not in the national interest to talk about it. For me that answer indicates very clearly that that's what's going on."


Hear the full interview HERE


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