More revelations in the Dotcom case

-->

I would like to put this aside but there are too many disclosures that keep coming out.

Perhaps the truth of the relationship between this government and the American government will come out.

SIS under scrutiny in Dotcom surveillance case

Radio New Zealand,

27 September, 2012

The Security Intelligence Service appears to have known about the residency status of internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom before another government spy agency unlawfully intercepted his communications.

This week, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) became the subject of an inquiry after revelations it unlawfully spied on Mr Dotcom and his colleagues.

Mr Dotcom, a German national, is fighting extradition to the United States to face copyright, money laundering and fraud charges.

The GCSB believed that Mr Dotcom and a co-accused were foreign nationals due to incorrect advice from police, but they have New Zealand residency.

Radio New Zealand's political editor Brent Edwards says it appears the SIS would have checked Mr Dotcom's background when he applied for and got residency.

Mr Edwards told Morning Report on Thursday the SIS has a close relationship with the GCSB and it is understood the application would have gone through a process known as silent approval.

"The SIS itself says it checks thousands of visas for people coming into the country, although these are mainly related to concerns over terrorism. In its report it says in terms of threat management, it does give border screening advice."

Kim Dotcom's US-based lawyer says he is seeking full disclosure of the Government's reasons for spying on his client to protect the rights of all New Zealanders.

Ira Rothken told Morning Report he also wants to know at what point they learned what they were doing was illegal.

"We're just interested in getting full and transparent disclosure - not only to protect Mr Dotcom's rights, but also for the benefit of all New Zealand residents who would prefer the Government not engage in such conduct."

Immigration Minister Nathan Guy is not commenting, apart from saying the matter will be covered by the inquiry looking into the GCSB's actions.

Dotcom case likened to Te Urewera raids

Radio New Zealand,

27 September, 2012

Opposition MPs are drawing comparisons between the Kim Dotcom spying case and the police raids in Te Urewera National Park.

Charges against most of the people arrested in the Bay of Plenty raids in 2007 were dropped after the Supreme Court ruled that police broke the law with their covert video surveillance.

This week, the Government Communications Security Bureau became the subject of an inquiry after revelations that it unlawfully spied on the German internet entrepreneur and his colleagues.

Kim Dotcom is fighting extradition to the United States to face copyright, money laundering and fraud charges.

The spy agency believed that Mr Dotcom and a co-accused were foreign nationals due to incorrect advice from police, but they have New Zealand residency. It is illegal for the GCSB to spy on New Zealand residents and it is being investigated over the matter.

The Green Party says the Government needs to make its crime-fighting agencies more transparent, so the public can have confidence they are doing the right thing.

Co-leader Metiria Turei says there are similarities between police breaking the law with their covert surveillance during the 2007 raids and the illegal spying on Mr Dotcom.

Ms Turei says because there is no transparency, people can neither protect themselves nor hold the Government to account.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell says as soon as he heard about the illegal surveillance of Mr Dotcom he was reminded of the raids in his Waiariki electorate.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the commonality in the two cases is the breaching of the law by agencies supposed to be enforcing it.

However, Police Minister Anne Tolley says comparing them is drawing a very long bow.

For television coverage and an interview with Kim Dotcom's US attorney Ira Rothken GO HERE