May 15, 2013
GCSB clams up on illegal spying
Māori may never know if they have been spied on illegally if one of the people arrested in the 2007 Urewera raids fails in her bid for disclosure.
The Government Communications Security Bureau has refused to confirm or deny whether they hold information on Wellington social justice advocate Valerie Morse.
Charges against Ms Morse in connection with camps run by Tame Iti in Te Urewera were dropped because they were based on illegal police surveillance.
She used the Privacy Act to ask the GCSB for any information it held, but says the agency invoked national security in knocking her back.
Ms Morse says that’s a blatant abuse of power, and leads to the conclusion the agency is spying on political activists, dissidents and migrant communities.
She says if she can’t get a positive response from the Privacy Commissioner, she will seek legal help to initiate a class action suit on behalf of the 88 New Zealanders who have been illegally spied on.
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