There’s a whole bunch of others caught up in this. In particular is Tame Iti, who you could hardly call a peaceful activist. I am sure the police have just cast a wide net at this point and those who are peaceful will be released. In fact, I’d say all of them will be released.
stuff.co.nz/4240093a25364.html
[quote]Tame Iti was preparing to declare an IRA-style war on New Zealand in a bid to establish his long-standing dream of an independent Tuhoe nation, according to police documents.
A source close to The Dominion Post said the documents disclosed by police to legal parties for the accused showed police had been monitoring Iti’s movements for 18 months, videoing and photographing his Urewera commando training camps and intercepting text messages sent by Iti to his co-conspirators.
Iti christened the group “Rama”, the Maori word for enlightenment, and is alleged to have stated three months ago that he had stopped all his other activities in order to “make war on New Zealand”.
The source described the movement as “comical” and “amateurish”, with the group purchasing military uniforms from an Auckland army surplus store.
Numbering about 20, the participants were predominantly based in Auckland. Many were in their late teens, the youngest a 15-year-old girl.
During the training camps members were required to wear balaclavas in order to hide their identities from each other, and many of their methods were based on a “green book IRA manual”.
It is understood several of the group are former New Zealand Army soldiers, some of whom fought in the Vietnam War.
Iti is alleged to have purchased shotgun ammunition from an Auckland gun shop and tried to obtain grenade launchers.
It is not clear from the documents whether he succeeded.
But a document does suggest the arms dealer was willing to obtain grenade launchers.
No mention of targets is made in the documents, but it is believed the only explosives to which the group had access were Molotov cocktails.
The group was allegedly trained in ambushes and “IRA-style attacks”, with a “key camp” being held in the Ureweras last November.
Much of the police evidence is based on text messages sent between group members.
The police documents show the group had been under continuous electronic and visual surveillance.
No mention is made in the documents of which government intelligence units were involved.
Nine of the people arrested and charged after Monday’s raids remain in custody following court appearances yesterday.
Jamie Beattie Lockett, 46, unemployed, of Takanini, appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday morning, and was initially granted bail.
The Crown appealed against this decision and Lockett’s bail was revoked by a High Court judge later in the evening.
The Crown said police had intercepted text messages sent by Lockett, saying he was intending to launch a war on New Zealand.
“I’m training up to be a vicious, dangerous commando,” one message said; another text stated “white men are going to die in this country”.
Lockett, who said he was a friend of Iti, did not apply for name suppression.
He said he was not involved in any illegal activity: “I have never, ever, transported a gun or ammunition in any vehicle in New Zealand. I’m anti-ammunition and guns.” He dismissed police evidence against him as “lies, weak and uninvestigated”.
Four other men and a woman also appeared in Auckland District Court on firearms charges, including possession of a military-style semi-automatic weapon, an automatic rifle, Molotov cocktails and a rifle.
All five, aged between 18 and 58, successfully sought name suppression and have been remanded in custody till their next court appearance on Friday.
Iti is to appear in Rotorua District Court this morning to find out whether his application for bail has been successful.
Iti and a woman, who was granted name suppression, appeared in court yesterday charged with firearms offences.
The woman has been remanded in custody till October 29.
A man, 53, was remanded in custody in Palmerston North after appearing in court on two charges of unlawful possession of a firearm. [/quote]
Credit were credit is due - that is damn funny!