By Jane Luscombe
Secretly filmed footage has been released of a group accused of training to kidnap, murder and bomb New Zealanders.
The images were shot in the Ruatoki area, in the Bay of Plenty, four years ago and shown publicly for the first time today in Auckland High Court.
Four people, including political activist Tame Iti, deny all charges against them.
The court was told people were ready to die for the cause, which for Iti was to gain self governance for Tuhoe.
A darkened court room today listened to the sound of gunshots fired in the Ruatoki bush.
Part of the video shows a Molotov cocktail being thrown.
“The training exercises, the Crown says, is to equip them to do such things as kidnap people, to commit acts of sabotage and commit armed combat. For want of a better word - ‘guerilla warfare’,” says Crown prosecutor Ross Burns.
The alleged ring-leader was well-known activist Tame Iti. His goal is self governance for Tuhoe.
Others were involved in anarchist movements. One man was there just because he did not like the police. But only four are in court.
It is claimed Rangi Kemara was the weapons man, furnishing the camps with semi-automatics and AK47-style rifles.
He, Iti and two others, Urs Signer and Emily Bailey, deny all charges.
One man involved in the camp was a trainer brought in from Baghdad to show them how to leave a car under fire.
The defence says the reason was innocent and revealed in a text from Iti.
“We may have mahe for them in Africa.” The text message read.
Iti’s lawyer says this meant “we may have work for them in Africa.”
The evidence includes video surveillance shot at several camps, computer logs with encrypted messages and copies of text messages, like these:
“C if you've got mates. Got 2 love Tuhoe, give their lives.”
“Got two mates, dumb as f*** do anything for me, drive trucks, fly planes, got kids too.”
“Cheers cuz, the dumber the better.”
Mr Burns says the text messages highlight the seriousness of the camps.
“What he was talking about was recruiting people to join cells in the city and prepared to give their lives. That gives you an idea of the seriousness of this.”
The defendants' lawyers urged the jury to keep an open mind, particularly over whether they intended to commit acts of violence.
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