Kim Dotcom back in court

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Dotcom lawyers want answers

3News NZ

Kim Dotcom

Kim Dotcom

By 3 News online staff

Megaupload founder and internet tycoon Kim Dotcom walked into his court hearing in Auckland with a stern message for the Government and those who spied on him.

“The New Zealand Government is underestimating the sophistication of New Zealanders, of their media, and especially of the courts,” he says.

Dotcom and his legal team are back at the High Court seeking more information about the Government’s illegal surveillance of him and his associates.

Details of the Government Communications Security Bureau’s spying are expected to be revealed at the hearing.

“The courts in New Zealand are dealing with lies, cover-ups and fake stories on a daily basis and they will see straight through this,” says Dotcom.

Dotcom and wife Mona are seated in a packed out public gallery and his Megaupload co-accused are also in attendance.

The GCSB is facing an inquiry after it spied on the German national who is facing extradition for alleged internet piracy and money laundering.

It is allowed to intercept the communications of foreigners without permission - but not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Dotcom's lawyers will today question why surveillance went ahead and who is to blame for the stuff up.

The mistake is the latest in a series of legal blunders relating to the case.

Dotcom’s lawyer is accusing the Crown of not providing sufficient information through the entire case.

The Crown responded by assuring them that more effort would be made to provide more information.

Justice Helen Winkelmann says the entire proceeding was moving too slowly and wanted some definitive timelines set.

Yesterday it was revealed Deputy Prime Minister Bill English knew about the operation before Prime Minister John Key, but didn't pass on the information.

Mr English isn't commenting on the development, saying he wouldn't want to give the sense he can recall details that he can't.

Labour questions Dotcom investigation

The Labour Party has this morning called into question Prime Minister John Key’s leadership of a Government ministry, after it was revealed police wrongly informed a national intelligence agency it was allowed to spy Dotcom, despite the fact he had celebrated his New Zealand residency with a huge fireworks show.

Mr Key has launched an investigation into the case, but Labour leader David Shearer has criticised the move as a way for Mr Key to avoid discussing it.

"The only problem with the inquiry of course is John Key gets to hide behind the inquiry and obviously some of the details may not come out," Mr Shearer told Firstline this morning.

Mr Shearer’s beliefs appear to be correct, as Mr Key refused to answer questions on the situation in Parliament yesterday afternoon.

"Wait for the report before jumping to conclusions," Mr Key told Parliament yesterday as he fended off a torrent of questions.

The Opposition leader says Mr Key must take responsibility for the GCSB’s actions, as he is in charge of the ministry.

Mr Shearer called Mr Key’s claims of not knowing about the investigation into Dotcom “ridiculous” – saying the Prime Minister met with GCSB 15 times last year and it would be “remarkable” for the issue to not have been raised

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Comments

14/12/2012 10:45:41 p.m.

Mr Crown wrote:

With incompetence being so pervasive within the government, "I can't remember" seems an appropriate response. Come on John and Bill we're not mugs mate. I hear there are plenty of jobs is Aussie!

2/10/2012 6:36:18 p.m.

Mal wrote:

When are we going to see ANYTHING positive from national. Seems to be one disaster after another. Pack your bags JK.

2/10/2012 9:53:00 a.m.

Maisie wrote:

When are we going to hear some positive words from labour and green parties. Hey some policies to fix our economy would be great. By the time the elections come they will be in the habit of being negative that positivity of the way our country is going will be impossible for them. Get on with good things and stop Nat bashing

27/09/2012 9:20:54 a.m.

Carlos wrote:

Next stop Gitmo bay hopefully !

26/09/2012 11:50:28 p.m.

Neuron Leak wrote:

If Key was shocked, think of how surprised the GCSB's neurolinked subjects were when they discovered their thoughts were being wirelessly tapped (and stored offshore in roving navy databanks). Hopefully Dotcom finds out the names of the other agencies involved.

26/09/2012 9:58:23 p.m.

jan.. wrote:

Dotcom Paid the Government for his New Zealand entry fees and donated Christchurch earthquarke a generous amount the fireworks at $500,000 and to Banks Campaign $50,000 that he doesn't recall that the transaction took place.. OLIVER, the National Government accepted Dotcom and his money that he or she shouldn't have let it happened therefore they are at fault.. Just let say for an example, if someone tell's you to go and jumb off the habour bridge' will you jumb? or the police say to you, that you're caught speeding would you say 'no' no you wouldn't expect to get away with it Pal..

26/09/2012 7:50:31 p.m.

Mal wrote:

it is unbelievable ! Unbelievable that he had no knowledge of 10 of the closest advisors to him in a matter of security (for whch he himself is the minister) 'failed to inform him' of a massive operation that has been instigated by a foreign country using the New Zealand security resources and police to carry out the operation. Now read between the lines, these 10 advisors (including the Deputy PM Bill English) have been directed to say that John Key new nothing about it. These 10 are 'the fall guys'. If one of them were to say that the Prime Minister knew of this, there would be a general election tomorrow and gues who would lose their job ? The 10 advisors AND John Key himself. This is nothing more than yet another currupt cover-up by the National Party to ensure their own survival.Policy dictates that when the Prime Minister is away from the country and the Deputy takes up that role, upon the PM's return, the deputy MUST inform the Prime Minister of all activity that has been officially sanctioned. Bill English personally signed the order as reigning Prime Minister at the time for the FBI/GCSB activity to take place. He had a legal obligation to inform John Key upon his return to NZ. I'll bet he did so and Johns heart would have sunk at that moment. Yes John, it is totally unbelievable you had no knowledge of this operation until the day before the raid was carried out. Start packing up your office bro cause now you're about to be caught in the biggest of all the lies you've spun over the last 5 years.

26/09/2012 6:34:52 p.m.

Ken wrote:

The Prime Minister John Key said he was "quite shocked" at the possibility government spies acted unlawfully in the Kim Dotcom case. Utter rubbish Mr Key. You are the Prime Minister and would have known what was going on in your, yes your, department. Your Deputy Prime Minister did know! I assume that you communicate or do you? Now either individually or collectively you are incompetent or not telling the truth You do not have to be a rocket scientist to work that through. Lap dogs of the Yanks! That’s what this is all about. You buy my butter and I’ll use smoke screens and go along with your secret requests. National is no better than any previous Government and its chances of re-election are slipping away rapidly. There seems to be nothing worse than appearing not to be telling the truth. John and Bill, The Divorce is on the way!

26/09/2012 4:28:58 p.m.

dennis wrote:

You did it again Mike. You called Mr Dotcom "Dotcrim". That is against Finnish law. Dotcom is a Finnish Citizen. Mikecrim has committed a crime yet again, along with Simon Power, Winston Peters, and the media in January. It has a 2 year maximum penalty - each time!

26/09/2012 4:24:01 p.m.

Mike B wrote:

New Zealand is doomed if I look at some of these comments here. @Oliver, you are so right, David has never given a comment that did not criticize John Key and the National party, yet here he is and supporting a known convicted criminal. Dotcom should never have been allowed into New Zealand. Just goggle the name and you can see how corrupt he is. So someone in the police made a mistake, so what? Us Kiwi's are really in for some very trying time when there is such hatred and division about politics when we should be working together to better this country!