Uproar Over NZ Anti-Terrorism Arrests

By Sarah C. LaBelle
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand - On Monday morning at dawn, New Zealand police raided alleged terror training camps, arresting prominent Maori and environmental activists in their sweep.  The raids took place across New Zealand in Whakatane, Ruatoki, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Palmerston North, and Hamilton.  The police and the government are taking a lot of heat for these arrests, with some sources calling Monday's activities "a wave of massive state repression".

The arrest warrants were granted under the Terrorism Suppression Act and those arrested are believed to have been training with firearms, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and napalm bombs.  The raids were suggested by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who would not comment as to whether she herself was one of the intended targets.  Police Minister Annette King said that the police were not acting under political instructions, despite the belief of some protesters that the raids were orchestrated to pressure politicians who are considering amending New Zealand's terrorism laws.

King defended her police force, saying, "I don't believe the police are playing politics, and I think that is a pretty unfair suggestion.  I suspect that if anything had happened you would be standing here saying to me 'why didn't the useless cops do anything about it?' "

Maori sovereignty activist Tame Iti was among those arrested.  He is facing charges under the Firearms Act.  The Maori Party has jumped to Iti's defense in Parliament, alleging that there were political and racial motivations behind the raids and arrests.  Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said, "We certainly don't want other New Zealanders to be looking at us and seeing the Maori people as potential terrorists in their own land, that's a concern for us."  Some Maori don't believe there is truth to the allegations regarding the so-called "freedom fighters" or "terrorists", while one woman told the New Zealand Herald that they had attempted to recruit her and had frightened her.

Protesters gathered in Christchurch to protest the police action, which they viewed as an attempt to label those who are anti-government as terrorists.  Frances Mountier of the Save Happy Valley coalition was quoted by ONE News as saying, "Obviously the state is scared by all these activist groups and and are using this excuse and the reference to terrorism legislation in order to go into a whole lot of homes and arrest a whole lot of people."

David Small, a terror expert, said of the police, "They say now the public has nothing to fear because they have nipped this in the bud, but raising this whole spectre does create a climate of fear ... and this is a way to use and to increase the resources, the powers, police and the surveillance agencies have got."  Surprisingly, left-leaning commentator Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury disagrees.  "If the allegations [against the activists] as I understand them are true, this country is about to get very, very, very angry. [...] There is going to be outrage when the full story gets out the likes of which talkback has never dreamt of."

Members of the legal community are not necessarily backing Monday's police action.  A Wellington judge was quoted by The Australian as saying that the evidence against the four defendants in her court is "scant".  Kahu Barron-Afeaki, represeting two of the defendants, said, "I'm hearing overtures of Guantanamo Bay here, the recent arrests of doctors in Australia who were released with no charges laid against them."  Annette Sykes, defense lawyer for Tame Iti, said, "What the police are saying is that they're characterising the right to protest [as terrorism].  For instance, the right to declare the need for Maori to have their own sovereignty in this country as something akin to terrorism.  That is a fetter on the freedom of speech."

UPDATE: UK climate change blogger Calvin Jones has some very informative posts here and here regarding those who have been arrested and their affiliations.  His posts link to two blogs whose owners say they are under suppression orders.  He told Impunity Watch via email that he believes that while there may have been an armed group involved, it has been dealt with appropriately and that the opportunity has been exploited to target peaceful but politically awkward groups.  He also believes that the language used when discussing explosives or non-firearms weapons has been constructed to suggest their presence, while there have been no outright statements that the police did discover such things during their raids.

 

For more information, please see:

Aotearoa Independent Media Centre - 17 activists arrested, denied bail - 15 October 2007

BBC -  NZ police hold 17 in terror raids - 15 October 2007

The Australian - Activists arrested in NZ anti-terror raids - 15 October 2007

The Australian - NZ cops nab 17 under anti-terror laws - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Hunters alerted police to alleged terror camps - 15 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Lawyer likens raids to 'invasions last century' - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Police caution against 'jumping to conclusions' before charges - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Threat to public was genuine, says senior officer - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Tame Iti on gun and firebomb charges - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Inside a raided 'alternative' community centre - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Camps just for training, says member - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Valley locked down after dawn raids - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - Balaclava-clad footsoldiers 'terrifying' - 16 October 2007

New Zealand Herald - 'Star Wars' police creating climate of fear - activist - 16 October 2007

ONE News - Napalm link to terror training camps - 15 October 2007

ONE News - Police under fire for anti-terrorism raids - 16 October 2007

ONE News - Maori Party leaps to Iti's defense - 16 October 2007

ONE News - Iti's partner slams police treatment - 16 October 2007

ONE News - Protest groups march against raids - 16 October 2007

A guide to the New Zealand Terror Suppression Act can be found at the New Zealand police website here.