‘Imaginary threats’ justify New Zealand spy bill – Dotcom
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is infringing on basic rights with a new spy bill, MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom has claimed. He alleged the government is in cahoots with the NSA and justifies the legislation with an “imaginary threat.”
The internet tycoon spoke out against the new surveillance bill
that would grant the Government Communications Security Bureau
(GCSB), new powers to eavesdrop on telephone conversations. He
made a speech at a meeting of hundreds of academics, civil
libertarians and lawyers opposing the legislation.
In a fiery critique of the proposed law, he questioned why it was
necessary and how it could be justified given the violation of
citizens’ rights.
“What is the imaginary threat to New Zealand that is keeping
Prime Minister John Key awake at night? What is the emergency
that should necessitate such a radical termination of our basic
rights and grant the government more powers to spy on us?”
said Dotcom in footage of the meeting on Thursday obtained by
RT's video agency Ruptly.
He went on to claim that NSA Director General Keith Alexander
came to New Zealand after it came to light that the GCSB were
spying on Dotcom.
“During his stay here in New Zealand he brainstormed with the
GCSB what to do about the scandal. I assume that only an American
general could have had the idea to push for new spy legislation
granting incredible new powers to the GCSB under such
circumstances,” he posited.
Dotcom accused the government of dishonesty and attempting to
cover-up the surveillance of his family when the reports went
public.
“What can New Zealanders expect from the GCSB when rules are
broken without any penalty or consequence?”
Last January New Zealand police stormed Dotcom’s mansion in
Auckland, seizing digital material and other assets. A judge
later ruled that the raid was illegal. Since then Dotcom has
accused the New Zealand government of collaborating with the US
secret services.
Washington has issued an extradition order for German-born Dotcom
on charges of racketeering, fraud, money laundering and copyright
theft in connection with video-streaming site MegaUpload. Dotcom
is adamant he is innocent.
The people’s opinion
Most New Zealanders believe their prime minister was lying when
he claimed to have no foreknowledge of the police raid on Kim
Dotcom’s home, a poll has shown.
A survey carried out by 3News Reid Research on 1,000 New
Zealanders found that 52 percent believed that Key knew of the
illegal police on Dotcom’s mansion in January last year. In
contrast, only 34 percent said they thought he was telling the
truth when he said he had no prior knowledge of the incident. The
remaining 15 percent either did not know of the raid or were
indifferent.
Internet tycoon Dotcom claims Key knew about the raid in advance
and told a parliamentary committee earlier this month he could
prove it - he just needed a little time.
"The prime minister's subservient relationship with the United
States, his ongoing ‘brain fades’, the new spy laws plus the
ongoing political persecution against me, my family and friends
might have contributed to this poll result," said Dotcom,
adding that the poll results brought a smile to his face.
