Maori Party Calls for Resignation, Compensation and Apology

NZPA
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4266443a25364.html

Police Commissioner Howard Broad should resign after police incited fears Maori terrorists were ready to act, the Maori Party said today.

It also wants police to compensate the people of Ruatoki and Tuhoe for the damage done to homes, property and their feelings as a result of the police raids.

And it says the Tuhoe people are owed an apology from police.

People arrested during police raids over alleged training camps in Bay of Plenty will not face charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act after Solicitor General David Collins said he was "unable to authorize" the prosecutions under the Act.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said use of the Terrorism Suppression Act was "too severe" and that had been vindicated by Dr Collins.

He said the Maori Party expected police to make "full compensation for the structural damage to the people of Ruatoki and around Tuhoe".

"We're talking about the damage to their houses and property, we're talking about the damage to their ... feelings."

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said New Zealanders had been terrified at the thought there could be terrorists in their midst, and police should not have tried to use terrorism laws. Charges could have been laid under the Crimes Amendment Act, she said.

"This has placed the police in an invidious position and our party will be calling for the resignation of Howard Broad," she said. "The mere fact that he chose the anti-terrorism Act means that as far as I'm concerned, he should resign. He knew that that was a high threshold, he knew it would terrify other New Zealanders to think that we have terrorism in our midst."

Police had "scared the nation" with the thought there were terrorists here.

Mrs Turia said New Zealand's reputation had also been damaged and there were people overseas thinking "what is being experienced in America, in Iraq, in Baghdad and possibly in Iran can happen here in New Zealand".

Mr Broad and Police Association president Greg O'Connor, who had commented on the matter, should go to the Tuhoe people and apologize, she said.

The party had not been opposed to police acting on those involved in illegal activity.

"But what we are opposed to is the way in which the police turned this into an act of terrorism, terrified the whole community, terrified the country when they didn't need to, " she said.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell said the Ruatoki community had been traumatized by the raids, and had been stuck with the terrorist label. Police had made a bad "error of judgement", he said.

Dr Sharples said this had to be the last time police went in "storm trooper-style" into people's homes and villages.

A spokesman said Prime Minister Helen Clark had noted Dr Collins' decision. The solicitor general had made the point, however, that 16 people were facing serious charges under the Arms Act. She also noted Dr Collins was satisfied police had sufficient and proper basis for investigating under the Terrorism Suppression Act and referring the evidence to his office.

Attorney General Michael Cullen said he would act on the solicitor general's recommendation to refer the Terrorism Suppression Act to the Law Commission for consideration. He noted that, contrary to what some had been saying in recent weeks, the solicitor general stated the Act had a "high threshold for the laying of terrorism-related charges".

Green MP Keith Locke said Dr Collins had had a clear test to meet: "Evidently, the hurdle proved too high for the police to meet." The decision was the first step back towards a more sensible assessment of the terrorism risks facing the country.

"The solicitor-general is to be congratulated for ensuring that criminal charges are pursued and prosecuted in the criminal courts while political action is treated as a threat to national security in only the most extreme situations - which this case evidently was not," Mr Locke said.