Papers obtained from the Court of Appeal reveal that John Key’s chief spy was present at a debrief on the operation to arrest Kim Dotcom, a meeting where issues around his residency was discussed, Grant Robertson Labour Deputy Leader says.
"On the 16th of February 2012 a meeting was held to debrief on Operation Debut. We have previously been told that this was attended by Roy Ferguson from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Along with Police who led the raid, papers released today show that the meeting was attended by Ian Fletcher, the Director of Government Communications and Security Bureau and several other senior GCSB staff.
"A powerpoint presentation given at that meeting specifically raised the issue of Kim Dotcom’s residency. This is crucial because by law the GCSB is not allowed to spy on New Zealand residents. An affidavit given to the Court from Det. Inspector Grant Wormald of OFCANZ states that following the meeting concerns were raised about the residency issue.
"This was an incredibly high profile raid, involving international extradition proceedings led by the FBI. It simply defies belief that no-one at that meeting ever thought to discuss the situation with John Key at some point before he has acknowledged in September 2012.
"If he was not told, then this has all the hallmarks of a cover up, given the timeline of events in the court documents.
"Further affidavits given to the Court by GCSB show that they discovered on 22 February that Mr Dotcom was a resident and the spying was unlawful. The documents show that GCSB lawyers subsequently incorrectly - and inexplicably - decided that it was lawful.
"John Key wants to distance himself as much as possible from this debacle. What he can’t hide from is that he is the Minister responsible for the GCSB and his oversight is a best loose and at worse wilfully ignorant," Grant Robertson says.
