On Monday 16th October police, backed (or guided) by a "specialist anti-terrorist unit" raided a number of locations around New Zealand in the early morning.
Search warrants referred to firearms offences, and documented extensive online purchases of paraphernalia that could be linked to paramilitary uses (camouflage clothing, weapon sights, parts that could be used to modify sporting firearms). Interestingly, specific items of clothing were identified (some obviously seen only from a distance) indicating an ongoing investigation. Weapons and "Molotov cocktails" (conflicting reports suggest a "napalm bomb" as well) were seized.
17 people were arrested; including a man whom police said had been recorded "declaring war" on New Zealand in general, saying that "white men are going to die in this country." They were from very different groups; Maori sovereignty activist organisations, environmentalist movements and Palestinian rights groups. Anecdotal evidence suggest that all had responded to an invitation to a 2008 New Years event for "supporters of the Tuhoe Nation", hosted by a group calling themselves the "Freedom Fighters."
The largest operation was centred on Ruatoki, an isolated settlement in the Urewera Ranges, where police allege the 17 were involved in a military-style training camp. More than 100 police and anti-terror troops participated in the raid, and an overt police presence is still present in the settlement.
The Urewera camp allegedly hosted paramilitary training exercises in small arms, close quarters combat, and explosives use.
At present, no one has been charged under the Terrorism Suppression Act (2002), although indications are that terrorism-related charges will be laid in at least some cases. According to police sources, the surveillance operation commenced in late 2006 and culminated with the Monday raids. All indications are that police knew exactly who they were targeting as the arrests covered a wide geographic area and multiple urban locations throughout the country.
According to various media reports, the operation was moved from surveillance to action due to an "imminent threat" against "identified targets." The risk has been "substantially mitigated" by the raids. There are also reports that a pair of hunters encountered an armed party near the camp 3 months ago and reported this to police.
Interesting commentary so far:
1. New anti-terror laws are due to be debated in Parliament this Thursday. The Terrorism Amendment Bill will increase the powers of the Executive, and the Government has been accused of fear-mongering and political posturing by blowing the raids out of proportion.
Government officials have denied this, stating that the raids were a police matter; the Government was not involved in the planning or decision-making of the operation.
2. An individual claiming to represent the Freedom Fighters (this appears to be a name chosen by the group, not the media) who acknowledges that training was conducted once a month at the camp, but only army-style workouts and physical fitness exercises.
It has also been suggested that Crown funding was granted to the group to conduct these training sessions for community development.
As an isolated, rural area, many/most people own and operate firearms on a regular basis for hunting (both recreation and as a food source).
3. A local government official and ex-police officer has stated that the Urewera have long been seen as a "no-go" area. The local Iwi refer to the area as the "Tuhoe Nation", and consider it a semi-autonomous zone.
The semi-autonomous zone has a history of protest, and "intimidation tactics" are commonly used to keep people out. Tensions have risen between the community and law enforcement for a number of years and "the community is making it harder and harder to police that area."
Key points:
This is all speculative at this point as the police have released very little information. However, a picture is beginning to emerge of New Zealand's entry (on an internal, national level) into 4th Generation War.
- Multiple groups with diverse ideology
- Paramilitary training in a hostile, semi-autonomous region with limited physical access
- Specialist anti-terror troops (SAS?) deployed
- Police ended a lengthy (and obviously fruitful) surveillance operation due to an "imminent" and "identifiable" threat
Was the "imminent threat" a potential systempunkt?
I'll dig into more of the specifics as we go.