New Zealand's spies illegally bugged Kim Dotcom, complicity may go all the way to the prime minister's office

New Zealand's foreign intelligence spy body, the Government Communications Security Bureau spied on Kim Dotcom at the behest of the US government, despite the fact that they are legally prohibited from conducting domestic surveillance. The NZ prime minister has ordered an inquiry, stating that the GCSB acted "unlawfully" in spying on Dotcom and his associates. Opposition leaders point out that only the PM's office could have authorized the spying, and suggest that the PM is saving face by ordering the inquiry now that the facts have come to light. More from TorrentFreak's enimgax:

Key says that he learned of the unlawful activity after speaking with the head of the GCSB last Monday and then took action to refer the issue to the Inspector-General, Hon Paul Neazor, who has the power to investigate matters related to the GCSB’s compliance with the law.

“I expect our intelligence agencies to operate always within the law. Their operations depend on public trust,” Key said.

“I look forward to the Inspector-General’s inquiry getting to the heart of what took place and what can be done about it. Because this is also a matter for the High Court in its consideration of the Megaupload litigation, I am unable to comment further,” Key added.

While the GCSB acting illegally is clearly an embarrassment for the government, Prime Minister Key now has some serious explaining to do. GCSB is a department that is responsible directly to him, a point not lost on Labour leader David Shearer.

“This is a shocking breach of New Zealand’s very strict laws restricting the ability of our spy agencies to snoop on people,” Shearer said in a statement this morning.

Government Spies Illegally Bugged Kim Dotcom, Prime Minister Admits

• [signsofrain]

  The big businesses that run the government are displeased with the equalizing power of the internet on commerce, therefore dirty tricks are necessary to bring down the people that make general purpose tools that are sometimes used for copyright infringement. Only stupid, crippled tools are allowed, and only to the people that play ball. Apple can use the internet to re-define music sales sure, but they better not allow songs to be transferred OFF iPods… that goes over the line, that’s TOO useful! 

  MegaUpload was too useful to too many people to be allowed to continue existing. It might have upset the established order!

  • [B E Pratt]

    I’m looking forward to Megabox giving the finger to the MAFIAA and its lapdog, the US gubbment

• [mmrtnt]

  Wait, what New Zealand?

  Your government is spying on you even though they’re forbidden by law?

  You guys will do anything to keep up with us Yanks, won’t you?

  But did the phone company help and then get granted immunity from the same government that assures you that you won’t be spied on illegally?

  Huh?

  Match that!

• [Layne]

  Wow, what must THAT feel like? 
  Living in a country where the government is being exposed and chastised for illegally spying on it’s citizens. Sounds crazy!

• [adamrice]

  “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!”

• [That_Anonymous_Coward]

  It really is sad commentary when you look at the people accusing Dotcom of a crime are much larger criminals.
  The farce that is the Megaupload case is a textbook example of abuse of process and criminal conspiracy.
  Sadly we will never get the real justice demanded by these actions, and still many innocent parties are left hanging in the wind unable to get their files back or have their faith in the Justice system restored.

  Was it worth perverting the course of Justice to get a few hundred thousand from the copyright cartels?

• [chroma]

  This story just keeps getting better and better.

• [Nicholas FitzHerbert]

  Unsurprisingly this government has a history of changing the law to legalise unwarranted surveillance. We shall see how this plays out.

• [Alastair Thompson]

  You can view RAW HD VIDEO here 
  http://youtu.be/_GGpKff46n8  of NZ PM John Key’s grilling in the weekly Parliamentary Press Gallery press conference yesterday. 
  Full coverage  of the press conference from Scoop.co.nz is here:

  http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1209/S00137/pm-announcement-on-unlawful-gcsb-activities.htm

• [LYNDON]

  Audio (and video) of the PM’s press conference here http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1209/S00137/pm-announcement-on-unlawful-gcsb-activities.htm

  It’s pretty clear that this actually came to light through the court process – though it’s also clear from his answers the PM did not know that last night.

  Some analysis based on the NZ law here http://publicaddress.net/legalbeagle/kim-dotcom-and-the-gcsb/

• [John Sweden]

  This has the stink of NZ’s right-wing ass-lickers all over it.

• [Alpacaman]

  Out PM has a habit of stretching the truth to degrees I never though possible, so it will be interesting to see where this goes. Our government seems keen to improve relations with the US, which is fine I suppose – except  that it seems to involve capitulating to every whim of the States, regardless of whether we benefit from it or not.

  This is a good example, another recent one would be that the US are going to station troops here, like a dog marking its territory, really.

  I can only wonder what will happen to our nuclear free policy if the current government gets another term.

• [feetleet]

  Meh.  My Jdownloader has rusted in a broom closet somewhere since it dawned on me that it’s probably not a good idea to PAY to pirate.  Paper trail and all… Strange, strange choice of martyr.  I’m sure it’s no accident he was in NZ.  And now that the world is watching, NZ doesn’t – despite initial offerings – want to seem like an extradition haven.  It’s like watching OJ fumble with the glove.  It would be one thing if this guy just said F the MPAA, I’m a civil disobedient.  But no, he’s a cherub.  In every country and jurisdiction and under every law ever.