Key told of Dotcom spying in February - report

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Key told of Dotcom spying in Feb

3News NZ

Kim Dotcom and his wife Mona (Reuters file)

Kim Dotcom and his wife Mona (Reuters file)

By 3 News online staff

A Government Communications Security Bureau review has revealed Prime Minister John Key was briefed about the Dotcom case during a meeting in February.

Mr Key admits Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom may have been mentioned briefly in the GCSB presentation, but says he was not told about the alleged illegal surveillance until last month.

However, the report states in the meeting on February 29: “A paper prepared as talking points for the staff member conducting a presentation contained a short reference to the Dotcom arrest a few weeks earlier, as an example of cooperation between the GCSB and the police."

No written record was kept from the meeting but the staff member is adamant it was mentioned to Mr Key.

Mr Key says he doesn’t remember it being brought up.

“While neither the GCSB Director nor I can recall the reference to the Dotcom matter being made during my visit to the bureau back in February, I accept that it may well have been made,” he says.

The agency has since admitted three other surveillance cases where legality is in question, dating back to 2009.

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Comments

3/10/2012 11:27:50 p.m.

Stop Key's Zombie Army (pilot series) wrote:

Mid-week synopsis: ...People-skills-Parata looses her manners and John Key looses his memory. Commentators ask how many votes this will cost National, Kim Schmitz can't stop tweeting and 500 (or so) people wonder which of their cases is one of the other three the GCSB has so far found it got wrong.

3/10/2012 7:35:32 p.m.

Just Me wrote:

Now I don't know what was in the water at Cuppagate last year but it seems really bizarre that both John Key and John Banks now have selective amnesia/memory loss especially when it suits them. The credibility of this National government and especially John Key are now questioned. I now ask myself as to when the GCSB and the Police proceeded to bug and moniter the Dotcom mansion.Was it just prior to the last general election and therefore John Key knew about it as long ago as November 2011? John Banks 'conveniently' forgot about the donations when running for mayor of Auckland in 2010.He failed to advise the voting public in the Epsom electorate from start of electioneering in 2011 through to and after November 2011.It was only recently i.e into 2012; that the matter of him asking for split donations was made known to the public. John Key probably knew about the ACC matter as late as August 2011.But again the public were not told until we were into 2012. This current bunch of politicians representing NZ and supposedly acting as a unified government now leaves alot to be desired. We cannot ttrust them when they cannot even be totally honest with those few who actually voted for them. The Epsom electorate has been let down by John Banks.And Kim Dotcom who lives in the Helensville electorate has been let down by John Key. It does seem both John's are looking after Number One i.e themselves.

3/10/2012 7:26:14 p.m.

dennis wrote:

Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents. "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle" The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, Judge Dawson. Planet Key's due process: "unlawful" "spying" "raids" "guns" "helicopters" "fantasy land" "perjury" "perjury" "perjury" "forgot" (spying, didn't hit him, didn't hit him, spying), plus a few more potential witnesses to come, Your Honour. They're lined-up down Anzac Ave

3/10/2012 5:37:27 p.m.

DB wrote:

There is absolutely no excuse for a PM to have a reason of "memory fade". He is the PM, he is the Minister in charge. It is quite obvious that Key knew about this whole debacle from day 1. And the only defence he has is "I cant remember". Just like any other crook out there uses - remember John Banks..."I cant remember"...Key needs to take responsibility like a true leader should.

3/10/2012 2:59:59 p.m.

Raewyn wrote:

So John Key doesn't recall now.Memory loss is spreading right throughout the National government it seem.Time for Key to come clean and tell us what he really knows.He just keeps digging a bigger Hole for himself.

3/10/2012 2:45:32 p.m.

fmacskasy.wordpress.com wrote:

Gotcha!

3/10/2012 1:04:12 p.m.

Doto54 wrote:

It appears that John Key has become aflicted with Jonh Banks disease.

3/10/2012 12:54:35 p.m.

Wiseacre wrote:

Selective amnesia? Very convenient.

3/10/2012 12:46:53 p.m.

Treetop wrote:

I assume the staff member was from the GCSB. So now it is the staff members word against the PM and the GCSB Director.

I believe the staff member over the PM and the GCSB Director.

3/10/2012 12:41:56 p.m.

Greg wrote:

The FBI got megauploads database harddrives, thats all they really wanted. The U.s. tried this sort of international police in the carribean over offshore internet casinos operating in the U.S. market. They lost big time over a WTO ruling they couldnt prohibate operators offering services to the U.S. =no tax money. Go on TV3 reporters do some digging into these stories. The U.S. cant touch the Chinese counterfitters of apple computer products.