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GCSB focus of Waihopai base protest

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GCSB focus of spy base protest

3News NZ

The Waihopai spy base near Blenheim (file)

The Waihopai spy base near Blenheim (file)

The accountability of the Government's intelligence agency will be the focus of activists campaigning for the closure of Waihopai spy base later this month.

The Government Communications Security Bureau-run base near Blenheim is a “satellite communications interception station” which has been a target for protesters since opening in 1989.

Three activists attacked a balloon covering one of the two satellites at the base in 2008, and were charged with intentional damage and unlawful entry - only to later be acquitted of all charges.

One of the activists, Adrian Leason, will speak at the January 19 protest, accompanied by veteran activist John Minto and Green MP Steffan Browning.

Organiser Murray Horton says the protest aims to shut down the base and highlight what he believes is the illegal spying on New Zealand resident Kim Dotcom, who is accused of copyright infringement in the US.

Mr Horton says since discovering Dotcom was spied on, he believes other New Zealand residents and citizens may have also been targeted.

“I think you can take it that there’s more than one.”

At the protest the Anti-Bases Campaign will attempt to deliver a letter to the officer in charge of Waihopai, asking “How many New Zealanders were spied on by the GCSB?”.

Mr Horton doesn’t expect the question will be answered.

“I would be pleasantly surprised if we get any response whatsoever.”

He says the protest is not about Dotcom, but the millionaire's case highlights the need to close down the base.

“[The case] proves conclusively they’re not only spying on New Zealanders, they’re spying on internal communication in New Zealand and that is illegal."

Dotcom tweeted about the protest on Monday, but didn’t mention if he would be attending.

“PROTEST: Peaceful protest planned for the takedown of the GCSB / US spybase in New Zealand,” the tweet said.

Mr Browning, the Green Party's security and intelligence spokesman will attend the protest.

“I think it’s very, very important that New Zealanders are aware this facility is here, that it is immoral.”

He says the base should be closed down and all security arrangements in New Zealand need to be reassessed. He is also concerned how much the intelligence from the base has been used in US warfare.

“We’ve got to be really concerned we are part of that system," he says. "It is effectively a US base in New Zealand and it needs to be shut down.”

There is also a worry the base could become a strategic target if there was some kind of international conflict, Mr Browning says.

Following the revelation that the GCSB had illegally spied on Dotcom, Mr Browning and the Green Party are concerned the GCSB acts as if it is above the law, and want more openness and transparency.

But GCSB director Ian Fletcher says on the bureau’s website that secrecy is necessary.

“As an intelligence and security agency, the level of information available about the GCSB’s role is, by its very nature, restricted. In order to maintain our level of effectiveness we must also retain a certain level of secrecy, especially about our intelligence targets and the details of our capabilities, sources and methods.”

Mr Horton hopes around 50 people will come to the protest.

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Comments

20/01/2013 5:34:58 p.m.

Iman Olive wrote:

So Kathy. According to you "Every single intelligence agency in the world has cameras in every single room" Stop right there! Go back and read that again. Sounds even more inane the second time around doesn't it? Then you say... "Logically recording meetings like these is more likely than unlikely". Ohhh! Really? Apart from the interesting diction, who says so apart from yourself? Regretfully the wild imagination and crazy speculation displayed has no basis in fact and the added snide name calling seems only to be there for the writer to get some warm fuzzies of self serving smugness. Your points might even be listened to if they had a possibility of being true, but the unproven ramblings are so outrageous they are merely laughable.

14/01/2013 12:45:24 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

@Tane / Mike Given Brain dotgones propensity towards major brain fades I find it highly unlikely that these meetings are not recorded. Espionage is a threat that the whole country needs to worry about. This could happen as a result of information that one of our own spies passes on or by information that the minister in charge passes on to the wrong people. It would be essential to record these meetings to trace leaks. So your defence of Key is unwarranted. Logically recording meetings like these is more likely than unlikely.

14/01/2013 12:14:19 a.m.

Tane wrote:

@ Kathy - Intelligence organisations are very unlikely to record sensitive/secret matters on video. What we do know is that you are willing to make things up to support whatever national or police bashing point you try to make.

12/01/2013 3:36:23 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

What we do know is that every single intelligence agency in the world has cameras in every single room of their headquarters that record top level meetings. What we do know is that the recording of John Key's February meetings mysteriously disappeared. This is an agency that is worried about its security, that supposedly protects the countries security. But no one has challenged John Key on the disappearance of the recording detailing his February meeting where Dotcom was discussed. An agency worried about espionage and security breaches records every room in its buildings 24 hours a day, even those where top level briefings occur because with espionage its about their own spies trading our secrets. Every spy agency in the world does this as a matter of security.... except New Zealand, except when it involves a corrupt politician like John Key. Come on John, I know you could find the recording if you tried. You just dont want to have it released.