Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Te Qaeda and the God Squad

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  • Thomas Johnson,

    This was obvious in another article I got forwarded this morning from Bomber's blog. He was sniffing around last night at Unite and had cornered some less experienced activists and was asking them what was going on...

    As someone quite rightly put it last night....'if not one talks, everyone walks'.

    It is not gossip it is fucken serious and some of our comrades are facing a long time behind bars, it would be good if people could remember that.

    From Indymedia site - Sure sounds peaceful (cue Tui)

    Wellington • Since Oct 2007 • 98 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Police raided Camp David again in 1987

    Isn't Camp David where George Bush holidays? Though in 87 it would've been Reagan.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    And I wince every time anyone's lawyer tries to make a direct link between this and Parihaka. The Government can't maintain a position for one term, little own 128 years.

    The Government can't, but the Crown can, and some people would say it has.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Paul Wood,

    Actually I though Camp David is a gay friend of mine

    Christchurch • Since Jan 2007 • 175 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Smack in the face for the cops - Lockett has got bailed.
    He seems to be the one about to wage war on NZ

    The intercepted communications certainly seem to enhance his reputation as a crazy person:

    * "I'm training up to be a vicious, dangerous commando"

    * "White men are going to die in this country"

    * "I'm at war. I'm declaring war on this country very soon"

    Meanwhile, Bomber is hinting darkly of more to come.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew Paul Wood,

    Christchurch • Since Jan 2007 • 175 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    From the Indymedia quote:

    This was obvious in another article I got forwarded this morning from Bomber's blog. He was sniffing around last night at Unite and had cornered some less experienced activists and was asking them what was going on...

    I saw on Indymedia last night that a Unite activist was among those arrested in Auckland. I'd be genuinely shocked if there was serious involvement from that quarter.

    As someone quite rightly put it last night....'if not one talks, everyone walks'.

    Yep, I find that pretty creepy ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Joe Hendren recontextualises the allegations that the SIS was spying on Maori activists, which they so vehemently denied and the SST had to retract.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Kath Davies,

    For more semantics and pedantics... the main news bulletin on Nat Radio referred to "Tame Iti, Maori activist", while on Waatea News it was "Tame Iti, health worker".

    Switzerland • Since Oct 2007 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Gabor Toth,

    I spoke to TV3's news chief Mark Jennings yesterday afternoon, who said that a cameraman working on Sunrise, saw the police on their way to exercise their warrant nearby, grabbed his camera and followed them, and got a couple of minutes of very useful footage, which TV3 posted as soon as it could, without even adding a commentary. If the dark forces of state control had really been looking to stage a media event, do you really think they'd pick the guy from Sunrise? And wouldn't they have invited along a reporter too?

    I found the TV3 video clip of the raid in Wellington strangely compelling precisely because no reporter was present. Admittedly helping in that regard is that I used to know someone who flatted there about ten years ago (in fact I'm sure there are thousands of current and former Wellingtonians who either know of someone who flatted there or have attended a party there over the decades).

    Anyway - to the footage… dim early-morning light, dawn chorus chirping in the background, dull noise of distant traffic, the sound of smashing glass, the shouts of "Police!".... all very atmospheric and about a million times better without some hack explaining the bleeding obvious in an annoying voice-over. Perhaps TV3 could post more raw footage in future? Just a simple caption explaining the situation is all that's required - the viewing public are not completely thick - we can actually work it out for ourselves.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 137 posts Report Reply

  • kmont,

    Surely you need to be actively at war in order to aggitate for peace?

    No, I don't think so. Nuclear disarmament for arguments sake. I am not completely down with the detail when it comes to the ideological basis of the peace movement but that strikes me as a weird argument.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 485 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Anyway - to the footage… dim early-morning light, dawn chorus chirping in the background, dull noise of distant traffic, the sound of smashing glass, the shouts of "Police!".... all very atmospheric and about a million times better without some hack explaining the bleeding obvious in an annoying voice-over. Perhaps TV3 could post more raw footage in future? Just a simple caption explaining the situation is all that's required - the viewing public are not completely thick - we can actually work it out for ourselves.

    You'll be pleased to know that Mark Jennings thought the same thing. He told me he thought the midday news version they ran with a reporter's voiceover wasn't nearly as the naked video on the website.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    I'll back gun control measures before new anti terror laws.
    The simple stuff works a lot better.


    What's Happening With Our Gun Laws?
    http://www.peace.net.nz/cgc_fact_sheet.html

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Sodium Hydroxide,

    what a surprise debasing thought with connotative language to create fear disinformation ergo malleable public ... pure news ... interesting times...

    isnt someone a terrorist only after they create terror? sort of existing as terror in portentia ohoho

    The desert of the real • Since May 2007 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Joe Hendren recontextualises the allegations that the SIS was spying on Maori activists, which they so vehemently denied and the SST had to retract.

    I wondered about that too. But the timelines don't match, and neither do the identities of the people allegedly involved.

    And this bit is bogus:

    Murray Horton believes the so called "sources" for the Sunday Star Times story ran "a classic agent provocateur operation aimed at damaging the credibility of opponents of both the SIS and the Government", in particular Nicky Hagar who co-wrote the story.

    It wasn't Hager's story until the very last moment --- he was only brought in late in the piece to add some security background, so unless the editor of the Sunday Star Times was in on it too, this just doesn't wash.

    I continue to be struck by the way that people criticising a lack of plausible police evidence seem happy to come up with any old theory on their own part.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    As someone quite rightly put it last night....'if not one talks, everyone walks'.

    Yep, I find that pretty creepy ...

    Don't worry man, someone always talks. That's even more creepy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Bob Munro,

    I can sort of see the cops getting nervous about Maori activists clambering around the hills, and about some anarcho greenies planning to disrupt happy valley or whatever.
    What escapes me is how these two divergent groups could be linked together. They do not seem like natural allies.

    It could be just that they are prepared to step over the line from legal protest to illegal protest. This seems to me to be always quite a jump and perhaps this is the common denominator in the targeted groups. People who make that step have convinced themselves their cause justifies them in taking illegal steps even if they would like the law to protect them in other circumstances (if they were burgled for instance). The end justifies the means.

    For example the Save Happy Valley Coalition have dug up the lawn of the home of an individual Solid Energy director (Source: Canta – not online.) which is quite a step beyond lawful protest or civil disobedience aimed at an organisation.

    I think a lot of people wrestled with this question during the 1981 Springbok tour and a surprisingly large number of solid citizens opted to step over the line.

    So from a police perspective if you have deliberately broken the law to express political or social views then you have entered the territory where it just a matter of ‘degree’ of how far you are prepared to go. Who would know whether the person who liberated battery hens one week won’t blow something up the next?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report Reply

  • stephen clover,

    I'm not convinced that this is not just an elaborate promotion for the 30 yr anniversary of Sleeping Dogs, as being currently celebrated by the Film Archive.

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Chamberlain,

    For example the Save Happy Valley Coalition have dug up the lawn of the home of an individual Solid Energy director (Source: Canta – not online.) which is quite a step beyond lawful protest or civil disobedience aimed at an organisation.

    Then again, Solid Energy hired students to infiltrate and spy on Save Happy Valley, so it's not like their hands are too clean, either. (At least according to Nicky Hagar in the SST, 27 May this year - not online as far as I can see).

    London • Since Aug 2007 • 33 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    It could be just that they are prepared to step over the line from legal protest to illegal protest.

    I think this is a pretty poor line to be holding things against. A form of protest is illegal if there's a law against it - like our laws against flag burning and sedition (and some would add, the Electoral Finance Bill).

    People stood up for the right of Tim Selwyn to incite sedition, and Paul Hopkinson and Valerie Morse to burn flags (while eviscerating the individuals) although these people were all prepared to step over the line from legal protest to illegal protest.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    For example the Save Happy Valley Coalition have dug up the lawn of the home of an individual Solid Energy director

    yeah... but is that 'terrorism' or 'a crime'?

    i think that's the key issue behind these arrests. are the police dealing with terrorists, or (lunatic) criminals?

    now, let's say that fcking up someone's lawn is terrorism (which you aren't), wouldn't it be employed more often?

    osama "i have a plan to strike fear into the heart of america"
    no.2 "yes of wise master, what will we need?"
    osama "first, we need the name of the gardener at the white house, and a rotary hoe..."

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Nick Melchior,

    I can sort of see the cops getting nervous about Maori activists clambering around the hills, and about some anarcho greenies planning to disrupt happy valley or whatever.

    What escapes me is how these two divergent groups could be linked together. They do not seem like natural allies.

    Really? Anarchists in NZ have been pretty active in meeting and supporting Maori Sov. activists for years, at least in Wellington. They (and I was involved when I was part of anarchist stuff in Wellington) raised funds for the Motua Gardens/Wanganui occupation in the mid 90s and have met with Maori sov. activists to discuss issues over the years. Anarchist publications (The State adversary etc) have had articles discussing and promoting Maori sov as well and I've never met an anarchist who wasn't sympathetic to Maori sovereignty issues.

    Partly it's a radical approach to protest (as Bob Munro points out), partly it's a fairly common support for indigenous rights. I don't see why anarchists wouldn't naturally support Maori struggles.

    Maori activists probably appreciate the support and fund raising but I suspect it's fairly one way traffic.

    Bob - as for your comments, it's not a black or white issue. Considering the police system flawed doesn't mean that you need to refuse to use it at all times any more than thinking capitalism is flawed requires you to never go to the dairy to get bread.

    As for the battery hens thing, why would they? Breaking into a farm to rescue animals doesn't imply blowing things up any more than smoking weed makes you a potential murderer or driving with no seat belt makes you a rapist. If the police believe that braking one law makes you equally likely to break all laws then they're more stupid than I understood.

    Melbourne • Since Nov 2006 • 36 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    People stood up for the right of Tim Selwyn to incite sedition, and Paul Hopkinson and Valerie Morse to burn flags (while eviscerating the individuals) although these people were all prepared to step over the line from legal protest to illegal protest.

    I agree. There are countless historical instances of protest that involve breaking the law -- often, the breach of the law is the protest in itself. That's not the same thing as posing a genuine security threat.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    Isn't "peace activist" a bit of an oxymoron?

    Of course not, unless you define "activism" so that it requires non-peaceful action. Activism can just mean "intentional action to bring about social or political change", so strictly speaking, anyone who writes a letter to the editor or makes a submission could be an activist. I've heard people describe me as an "urban activist", just for blogging about transport and urban design, and I wouldn't shrink from the label.

    Surely you need to be actively at war in order to aggitate for peace?

    No, on several grounds.

    First, who's the "you" who needs to be at war? NZ may not be actively at war (though some peace activists would disagree over Afghanistan etc), but plenty of the world is, including some of our allies and "friends".

    Secondly, surely you can take part in activism to try to stop a potential war, even if you're not engaged in one yet?

    Third, to many such activists, there is a war going on: a constant global war of oppression against indigenous people, women, the working classes etc. That's not a view to which I'd wholeheartedly subscribe, but it does exist.

    Finally, I think you're confusing "peace activist" with "pacifist". Many activists would subscribe to the maxim "No peace without justice", and would believe that armed struggled against oppressive regimes is a necessary evil in the struggle for eventual global peace. That's a position that's easily abused, not just by "freedom fighters" but by nation states arguing for so-called "just wars" (cue jokes about "f*cking for virginity"), but again, it is not an unheard-of political position.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    As for the battery hens thing, why would they? Breaking into a farm to rescue animals doesn't imply blowing things up any more than smoking weed makes you a potential murderer or driving with no seat belt makes you a rapist.

    Correct. But by the same token, being an animal rights activist doesn't mean it's impossible for you to embrace violence, as some people seem to think. It has happened.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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