Police defend actions during Dotcom raid

6/03/2012 10:09:36 p.m.

SP wrote:

I'm surprised they didn't send a tank this time like they did with they guy that lock himself in his house. All just a show to impress the FBI...

11/02/2012 10:02:29 p.m.

Red Tussock wrote:

I find it very sinister indeed. Even the comments on this page ... is there a way to vet where they are from, and what their motivation is. At the moment Campbell live place themselves in great danger. Hollywood is a huge power base for the Democrats in America, and this may well extend all the way to the top. POTUS is a very very manipulative and sinister power in the world. NZ's sovereignty is at stake.

10/02/2012 5:49:27 p.m.

Mike wrote:

Property siezure is standard in such a case.

Basically the defenders of Dotcom would also say that if Hitler turned up in NZ he should be treated like a nice guy after fleeing justice and turning up in NZ. International crime is international crime.

Dotcom has been repeatedly warned since 2007 that if they didn't clean up their business they would be liable. Dotcom chose to give the law 'the bird' and then when things got tougher in the USA, fled to NZ with multiple identies and multiple bank accounts.

Other internet companies similar to dotcoms have cleaned up their act. If Megaupload had also cleaned up its act it wouldn't have dotcom arrested now. Its like a police officer pulls a speeding driver for speeding and gives a warning, then the speeding driver gets back in the car and immediately starts doing 200kph in a 100kph zone ...

Dotcom has done everything to agrievate authorities and deserves locking up.

The police didn't overreact.
- dotcom wouldn't come quietly, and didn't
- dotcom has history of likeing firarms, and history of illegal firearms
- dotcoms business is a significant player in international copyright breaches.
- having celebrity firends doesn't make a criminal not a criminal
- having a media blitz on how dotcom is a good guy and how NZ police over reacted doesn't change the scale of internation crime dotcom is responsible for.

Who is funding this media blitz which is extremely one-sided in favour of dotcom? Is there some of dotcoms hidden accounts greasing the media?

10/02/2012 2:23:01 p.m.

Steve Withers wrote:

Watching these events unfold has been very concerning. A foreign government has effectively destroyed the life of a group of people living in New Zealand who are not charged with any crime here. Their business has been destroyed. Their cash and physical assets confiscated around the world and in New Zealand. Yet the "crime" itself is a civil matter (copyright violations) and the "money laundering" and "racketeering" charges appear to be trumped up to justify an extradition request. These people are theoretically innocent until proven guilty....yet everything about this says they are being treated as guilty. What compensation might the New Zealand government owe Mr. Dotcom in the event her is found not guilty in the US courts...as his legal team think he will be? This looks very much to me like our own government is far too keen to kiss the backside of the United States and trample on the rights of people living here peacefully and legally. What I want to know is: Exactly what law lets them strip everything he owns even BEFORE a decisions has been made on his extradition? I see a kangaroo court in operation....or why are they doing this?

9/02/2012 5:22:31 p.m.

Most Obvious wrote:

It's totally ridiculous... You didn't see Youtube executives get thrown in jail or, get their homes raided when they were accused of copyright infringement. This is over the top.

9/02/2012 11:21:23 a.m.

Paul wrote:

This was obviously for show. I hope NZ gets compensated for the waste of tax payers money. I am sure the arrest could've been succesfully handled by popping an e-mail to Kim and ask him to come over to the police station. Its not like he was hiding or anything.

8/02/2012 10:44:20 p.m.

davie wrote:

how much did this cost the taxpayer?????

8/02/2012 8:49:46 p.m.

Mark wrote:

Guess all the experts here no all the details of the case. Maybe the police should ask you for tactical advise next time they do a search warrant. Safe room on the original plans? I am sure Crisco named a safe room in the original plans! Intel of one firearm is enough to justify what the did, only takes one bullet to kill someone. I guess we should just believe his security ad body guards. Oh who has a body guard in New Zealand. People at risk from people that want to kill them like the prime minister. And criminals!!!

8/02/2012 8:23:42 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

What a brave intelligent Police Force we have in NZ - 76 of them to arrest ONE man. With those nunbers which included the Elite Special Tactics group, Helicopters and the Armed Offenders squad this person must have been rsponsible for the most horrendous crime against humanity for special strategic and tactical planning by Police HQ. HELLO HELLO the alleged crime was "copyright infringement" ????????? White collar crime. The allegations have made by the FBI. Isnt this the same organisation along with the CIA who convinced the world that Iraq had WMD "Weapons of Mass Destruction" so the USA and their allies went to war, thousands of soldiers and innocent people were killed and then they couldnt find any WMD so in reality the war was over "Weapons of Mass Deception". Good ole FBI
The NZ Judge last week, correctly would not expedite Mr Dotcom to the USA as the FBI have not produced any evidence to back up their claims and they (the FBI) had not laid any charges. Surely the FBI should have by now, gathered some solid evidence and charges against Mr Dotcom to our Judiciary by now. Time = Fabrication. This is typical of the way the USA works, make allegations, "who cares if we are wrong" and then exit leaving behind (as always)a mess.
The NZ Police Assistant Commissioner Malcolm Burgess has confirmed that when the USA pulls the strings - the NZ Puppet Police will start dancing to Stars & Stripes. Shame

Who says that you are innocent until proven guilty.
Mr Dotcom - I dont know what you do as I do not download stuff from the Net but I feel that you have been treated very harshly, in an undignified manner by the NZ Police - it is so unjust!! Furthermore I hope your pregnant wife and children will be looked after and that you will be freed, or charged - very shortly. Good luck

8/02/2012 8:04:48 p.m.

Huh wrote:

Policemen were going to get shot by who, exactly?

By people who had no history of violence, of any kind? By father and mother of 3 (with twins coming soon)?

Or by wife's 2 teenage brothers?

I really wish they would say what, exactly, type of "intelligence" they had, which justified using such force. But of course, they are not held accountable when working as FBI lapdogs.

Personally, I don't blame police officers that were at the scene. I blame the person who signed off on that 'tactical decision'. It was probably an FBI agent (with NZ proxy signing actual order), since this looks and feels like them.

Kiwis ought to know better.