The tiniest snippet of 'news' in today's paper was devoted to the Urewera 'Terrorist' trial and said this,
"People involved in organised camps in the Ureweras in 2007 had poor weapon skills and bad aim, a police detective told the High Court trial of four of the members yesterday. Detective Sergeant Jason Lunjevich said many in the group had "lax" weapon handling and poor awareness of where they were pointing their gun. The trial continues on Monday."
What are we to make of this fragment of news? Firstly up, it seems the ' members' will benefit from the revelation that they were amateurs when it came to firearms. That defuses somewhat the impression being given that they were hardened terrorists, doesn't it? It also gives the casual reader (me) the impression that the whole business is a rather 'Keystone Cop-ish' affair and might just descend into total farce before too long. I have to say that the heavy breathing over the news that one 'Molotov cocktail' was seen being used by someone in the Urewera seems farcical. A single plastic drink bottle, half filled with turps and stuffed with a rag? Call in the Terror Squad, pronto!
Seems a bit silly really.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
As Tame iti said himself on TV, if the police were concerned about anything why didn't they say something at the time, his phone number is in the book. If they spied on the activity for over a year without any action, they obviously didn't think there was an immediate danger to the public.
Ha!
Tame's a straight-shooter :-)
I've been reading the reports on the trial on scoop.co.nz . They have film of people walking through the bush and .....eating lunch. They are followed going to shops, buying stuff and putting it in their cars, some of them have left wing literature at home. The molotov cocktail practice and stopping cars at gunpoint needs explaining but IF the police thought any of it was serious then why did they let John Key go into the area unprotected at that time.
I saved this at the time.
FROM TVNZ SITE
Key's Tuhoe trip questioned
Nov 15, 2007 6:47 PM
Questions are being asked over why police did not accompany National Party leader John Key on a visit to the Ureweras when it was known there was an assassination plot against him.
The alleged plot against the National Party leader, and other politicians including the PM, was made public in material published in two daily newspapers on Thursday.
In August Key made a trip to a remote marae in the Ureweras where police say paramilitary-style training camps were operating and firearms and explosives were stored.
ONE News has been told the Diplomatic Protection Squad - which handles security for senior politicians at parliament - knew about the plot.
But they didn't tell National and in fact provided advice in writing that it was safe to travel to the area.
So with no police presence Key, along with Tau Henare and Georgina te Heuheu, drove miles into the Ureweras to Owhakatoro Marae, which is so remote it has no cellphone coverage
One of those greeting them was Tame Iti, who was arrested in the police raids.
ONE News tried to ask to ask the head of Diplomatic Protection Squad why they allowed Key to travel without police escort. He said he wouldn't comment on security matters.
And this..
Did Police Ignore Threats leading to Assassination Allegations?
Te Ururoa Flavell, Member of Parliament for Waiariki
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Waiariki Member of Parliament, Te Ururoa Flavell, today has queried the nature of the security risk that was identified in the Police surveillance exercise carried out over the last eighteen months, focused on Ruatoki.
"If we are to believe information published by the media today" said Te Ururoa Flavell, "we would learn that the affidavit from Police stated they had been concerned about six "quasi-military training camps" held in the Ruatoki region this year.
"We would also learn of very disturbing allegations specifically naming and targeting the Leader of the Opposition, Mr John Key" said Flavell.
"And yet just over three months ago, on the 2nd August 2007, presumably in the heat of the surveillance operation, that same Leader of the Opposition met with the Ruatoki Tribal Executive at Owhakatoro Marae" announced Te Ururoa Flavell. "Mr Key was accompanied by two of his Senior MPs, Hon Georgina te HeuHeu and Hon Tau Henare".
"I know, because I attended the same hui" stated Flavell.
"As I recall, local Tuhoe identity, Tame Iti, asked the first question of Mr Key, and participated with dignity throughout the hui" stated Mr Flavell.
"The question that has been troubling me, is, if the secret evidence Police had gathered under such a covert surveillance exercise had been robust, then why did the Police potentially endanger the lives of four Members of Parliament, including myself?"
"I believe, however, it was because there were no terrorist plots in action, that our hui continued on regardless" ended Mr Flavell.
"Having spoken to Mr Key, I know that he enjoyed engaging with the Tuhoe people, he definitely appreciated their hospitality and the interaction, and he felt safe at all times" ended Mr Flavell.
Post a Comment