John Key defends the rising questions about his roles in the Dotcom business, and his relationship to the GSCB and its current director by saying that:
My reputation matters to me because I am honest and I am upfront
As highlighted by Anthony Robins in his post today on the speculations on National’s leadership.
In relation to the GCSB, Deputy Labour caucus leader, Grant Robertson claims there are still more questions to be answered over Key shoulder tapping a friend for the job as GCSB boss. Furthermore, Robertson is concerned about the role of the GCSB in spying on New Zealand citizens and residents.
Aside from the confusion of the ban on spying on New Zealanders, the difference between the GCSB and the country’s Security Intelligence Service is its connection with the Five Eyes network.
Labour deputy leader Grant Robertson raised the difference in Parliament, saying: “The bureau is not allowed to spy on New Zealanders because it works with foreign governments.” Papers released from the High Court action against the bureau by Mr Dotcom showed his details and those of fellow New Zealander and co-accused Bram van der Kolk were sent to the Five Eyes network.
This issue is one part of the Dotcom saga. The lawyers for the high profile Coatesvill resident have opened proceedings in court in another round in this saga. Recently Dotcom has titillated many by his hints that there will be some major revelations arising from this week’s court proceedings.
Without elaborating, Dotcom claimed it would be shown that the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, misled the country’s parliament in relation to his case, which has captivated the online world.
Dotcom reiterated his belief that his case — which shut down the Megaupload file storage site, causing customers worldwide to lose data they had uploaded — was politically motivated.
“Get the popcorn ready,” said Dotcom, 39, appearing like a cheerful ghostly face against a pitch-black background on a giant projection screen, “because you won’t believe what these guys did.”
So it will be interesting to see whether this will be another major fireworks display form the Dotcom camp, or if it will turn out to be a fizzer.
This morning Dotcom’s lawyer focused on Detective Inspetor Grant Wormald,
the policeman who led the raid on the exclusive mansion in rural Auckland.
Curiously, in this latest round, Dotcom’s legal team are seeking to separate the role of the GCSB from that of the police operations:
The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) was joined to the case, but Davison told the court this morning that aspect of the case would be severed and fresh civil proceedings would now be issued against the bureau.
Davison told the court that the use of the police Special Tactics Group (STG) was central to the claim of unreasonable search. He wanted to cross-examine Wormald over that.
He said he needed to cross-examine further to determine whether there had been a deliberate strategy to withhold knowledge by the STG.
Davison said he was not seeking a “speculative examination” of Wormald.
“It is all about whether the witness is being frank with the court.”
He told the judge that Wormald has asked the court to accept his word but if, in cross-examination, it emerged he was withholding information, then they could would take a jaundiced view of him.
Are they targeting the role of the police because it is easier for them to obtain evidence on its operations than that of the NZ branch of the Five Eyes spy network?
And does this mean it is no longer about the GCSB?
Or, are Dotcom’s lawyers making the separation in order to open up a wormhole to the GCSB via the NZ police?
Wherever it goes, it’s certainly about seeking truth where there has been obfuscation on the part of the NZ police, the GCSB and John Key.
[Update Key’s announced changes to the GCSB outrageous & undemocratic]
My goodness, it’s even worse than I would have thought . According to an article on Stuff:
The changes would allow the GCSB to provide information assurance and cyber security advice and help to both public and private sector organisations, and allow it to assist other entities such as the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, New Zealand Defence Force and Police while retaining its foreign intelligence gathering powers “broadly as is”.
My bold.
kiwis should be protesting in the streets, media, halls of power and cyberways in vast numbers over this.
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