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RR RUEHNZ
DE RUEHWL #0830/01 3312338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 272338Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4910
INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1552
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5036
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0606
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 WELLINGTON 000830 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/ANP 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM NZ
SUBJECT: NZ'S TOP LAWYER THROWS OUT TERROR CHARGES 
 
 
¶1.  (U)  Summary.  In a landmark decision, New Zealand's 
Solicitor-General ruled on November 8 that the 17 people (Maori and 
other activists) arrested on terrorism charges during nationwide 
police raids on October 15 cannot be charged under the Terrorism 
Suppression Act (TSA), the country's 2002 anti-terrorism law.  Many 
Maori community leaders criticized the raids as divisive and 
racially motivated.  Other charges, e.g., possession of illegal 
firearms, will stand.  Following the SG's ruling, a national daily 
paper published excerpts of police secret evidence detailing plans 
to bomb public buildings and kill political figures collected during 
the investigation.  The NZ Police expressed disappointment that the 
terrorism charges will not be used, but stood by the police arrest 
decision, as did PM Helen Clark.  The story has since receded from 
front-page news, with both major parties arguing over the 
controversial election campaign finance draft legislation that the 
Labour Party hopes to pass before MPs recess in December.  End 
Summary. 
 
Police Raids Jolted New Zealand 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  On October 15, New Zealand police arrested 17 people and 
seized a number of arms, including semi-automatic weapons and petrol 
bombs, during a series of raids throughout the country.  The 17 were 
initially charged with beaching New Zealand's Arms Act.  More than 
300 police were involved in the raids, which were aimed at Maori and 
environmental activists rather than foreign groups.  Among those 
arrested was high-profile Maori activist Tame Iti, who police allege 
was running a guerilla-style training camp in a remote part of New 
Zealand's North Island.  The raids dominated the news for weeks and 
sparked protests around the country, mainly from Maori activists and 
human rights groups.  The Greens Party called those arrested 
political prisoners.  The Maori Party claimed that the raids had set 
back race relations 100 years. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Following the raids, New Zealand Police Commissioner Howard 
Broad raised the prospect of the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA) 
being invoked for the first time since its passage through 
Parliament in 2002.  Broad, however, cautioned that charges to be 
laid under the TSA had to first receive the necessary consent of 
Solicitor-General Dr. David Collins.  (Note:  The only judicial 
approval the police needed before engaging in this particular 
operation was sign-off on a communications intercept warrant by a 
High Court Judge, which was granted.  After reviewing the intercept 
product and on the basis of its understanding of the TSA and the 
Arms Act, the police decided to proceed with the operation.  End 
Note). 
 
Solicitor-General Rules No to Terrorism Charges 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4.  (U)  On November 8, New Zealand's most senior public lawyer, 
Solicitor-General Dr. David Collins, declined authorisation of any 
prosecutions under the TSA.  Although Collins believed that the 
police evidence showed "very disturbing activities," he ruled that 
the high threshold required to authorize prosecutions under the act 
had not been met.  Collins described the TSA as "unnecessarily 
complex, incoherent, and as a result almost impossible to apply to 
the domestic circumstances observed by the police in this case."  He 
said difficulties in applying the TSA, rather than lack of evidence, 
was a "very significant factor" in his decision.  The media said it 
more succinctly, noting that bad law makes for bad outcomes. 
 
¶5.  (U)  The five-year-old TSA provides for sentences of up to 14 
years in jail for anyone convicted of planning or preparing to carry 
out a terrorist act regardless of whether it is actually carried 
out.  The law was introduced to bring New Zealand into line with UN 
and other international conventions on terrorism, but was not 
created to address domestic terrorist acts.  The law's provisions 
also were to apply if there was a "credible threat" that such an act 
might be carried out, regardless of whether it is actually carried 
out or not.  A "terrorist act" is deemed to be carried out for the 
purpose of advancing an ideological, political, or religious cause 
with the intention of inducing terror in a civilian population or 
forcing a government to do something against its wishes. 
¶6.  (U)  The TSA had the backing of all parties in Parliament apart 
from the Green Party, who argued that the definition of a "terrorist 
act" was too broad and risked encompassing standard and non-violent 
political protests.  The legislation was rewritten to exclude any 
act of "protest, advocacy, dissent, strike or lockout."  The law 
also criminalizes the financing of terrorism and the recruiting of 
members to a terrorist entity but stops short of criminalizing 
simple membership of a terrorist entity. 
Arrested Still Not in the Clear, But Almost 
------------------------------------------- 
 
 
WELLINGTON 00000830  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶7.  (U)  Collins pointed out that although those arrested will not 
be charged under the TSA, they may still be charged under the Arms 
Act for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.  This offense 
carries a maximum sentence of 3 years in jail or a fine not 
exceeding NZ $4000 (US $3000) or both.  New Zealand Police have told 
post that they expect those charged to escape incarceration and 
likely to pay only a fine. 
 
Dominion Post Leaks Secret Wiretap Evidence 
------------------------------------------- 
¶8. (U)    On November 14, the daily Dominion Post paper published 
excerpts from the secret wiretap evidence that was included in the 
156-page affidavit presented to one of the local courts by police 
officials.  The information contained excerpts from suspects' 
conversations, describing possible assassinations as well as 
destruction of public buildings.  On November 23, the SG requested 
an explanation from the owners of the Dominion Post, Fairfax Media, 
as to why the paper published the secret information on November 14. 
 The SG has suggested that some of the published information would 
constitute a contempt of court, which could lead to legal action 
against the newspaper's owner.  Fairfax has a week to respond to the 
SG's request.  A police inquiry into how the information was leaked 
and whether any laws were broken was launched immediately after the 
November 14 publication and is continuing. 
 
Law Seen by Some to be Result of US Pressure 
-------------------------------------------- 
¶9.  (SBU) Following the October 15 raids, some politicians, 
journalists and activist argued that the TSA is out of place in New 
Zealand and that it was merely passed into law to appease the United 
States' Global War on Terror (GWOT).  On November 9, Matt McCarten, 
a former left-wing Member of Parliament and now a weekly newspaper 
columnist, wrote that he "never thought that there was a need for 
the Terrorism Suppression Act and believe that it was motivated by 
our establishment's need to be seen by our international allies to 
be doing our bit for George Bush's "war on terror."  In a newspaper 
article on November 5, well-known New Zealand activist John Minto 
argued that New Zealand's anti-terror laws are "George Bush's laws. 
They were never designed for New Zealand." 
Public Reaction to the Raid 
--------------------------- 
¶10.  (U) A UMR Research poll conducted 10 days after the raids found 
that while 13 per cent of those surveyed felt police acted 
inappropriately almost fifty per cent said it was too early to know. 
 However, the figures are dramatically different when the views of 
Maori are separated out from the survey sample, with 41 per cent 
saying police overreacted.  Thirty-six per cent of the wider group 
felt the police acted appropriately under the circumstances, while 
only 22 per cent of the smaller Maori group thought they did. 
Indeed, individual comments from many citizens following the raids 
indicate a sense among some in New Zealand that domestic terrorism 
could never occur in this country. 
Political Implications of the Raids 
----------------------------------- 
¶11.  (U) For the ruling Labour Party, the police raids could spell 
more problems at election time with Maori, many of whom have still 
not forgiven Labour for enacting the controversial Foreshore and 
Seabed Act in 2004, which refused the Maori claim to ownership of 
part or all of New Zealand's foreshore and seabed.  With the 
upcoming election likely to be tight one, the Maori Party could 
leverage Maori anger over the raids to wrest some Maori seats from 
Labour and damage Labour's chance of forming a parliamentary 
majority in the next Government.  (Note:  The Labour Party has 
historically enjoyed loyal political support from Maori and has held 
a virtual monopoly on the Maori seats in Parliament since Labour 
first came to power in 1935.  However, at the 2005 election, the 
newly formed Maori Party - having broken with Labour over the 
Foreshore legislation in 2004 -- won four of the seven existing 
Maori seats.  End Note). 
Government Reaction to the Solicitor-General's Decision 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
¶12. (U)  In response to the Solicitor-General's criticism, the 
Attorney-General Dr. Michael Cullen underscored that he TSA was 
written to cover terrorism activities by foreigners and never 
intended to be used in a domestic context.  The Government also 
reminded the public that those who had escaped possible terrorism 
charges still faced serious charges under the Arms Act.  Cullen 
agreed to Collins' recommendation to refer the act to the Law 
Commission - an independent, government-funded organization that 
reviews laws - for further examination.  Drawing attention to 
Collins' statement that the police had acted appropriately but the 
threshold was very high, Cullen stated that "anybody who claims this 
is some kind of vindication for all those involved is misreading 
what the Solicitor-General said."  PM Helen Clark's office said that 
she "noted" the decision but wished to remind the public that those 
questioned still facing serious firearms charges. 
 
WELLINGTON 00000830  003 OF 003 
 
 
Police Disappointed, but No Public Apology 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶13. (U) In response to the decision of the Solicitor-General, New 
Zealand's top cop -- Commissioner of Police, Howard Broad -- has 
stated disappointment that no charges would be made under the 
Terrorism Suppression Act.  Although Broad refused to offer a 
general apology for police actions during the raids (as had been 
demanded by many in the Maori community), he did, however, offer his 
regrets for any hurt and stress caused to the Maori community by the 
police and promised to "seek an appropriate way to repair the damage 
done to police/Maori relations." 
¶14. (SBU)  Comment:  In the post-9/11 world, one would expect that 
New Zealand would have an adequate law to deal with foreign as well 
as domestic terrorism - it does not.  Critics of the TSA say that 
the law was never envisaged to apply to domestic terrorism, but one 
wonders if it would have applied to foreign terrorists plotting much 
the same activities as those leaked by the press.  The inherent 
weaknesses of the TSA underscore that the Labour Party and its minor 
party partners in government (many of whom are veterans of Vietnam 
War-era street protests) are not comfortable with legislation that 
in any way would undermine legitimate political expression.  We hope 
the Law Commission, which will review the law and make 
recommendations, will find a way to preserve peaceful political 
dissent and civil liberties without leaving the country vulnerable 
to those - foreign or domestic - who would do it harm.  End 
Comment. 
 
McCormick