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Burns declined to comment further saying it would be inappropriatewith sentencing pending. The Crown case against the four contended that they were theringleaders of alleged training camps preparing the participantsfor armed combat in 2007. The case included sensational claims that the defendants and otherswere planning to use guerrilla warfare to achieveself-determination in the Tuhoe region. But defence lawyers said the camps were to teach bushcraft andfirearms skills in the hope that the participants might gain jobsin the security industry in the Middle East or Africa. Police 'obsessed with spying' One of the defence lawyers this morning said the police had becomeobsessed with spying and wanted to test out a new unit rather thanfront and up deal with people on the scene. Auckland lawyer Russell Fairbrother, acting for activist Tame Iti,told NewstalkZB the reasons for a stay of further proceedings werestrong and it had been a mistake to bring the charges in the firstplace. "It is easy said with hindsight but the police got a focus whichcould have been avoided if they had spoken to the people involved,"he said. At the time of the alleged charges, the police had been developingtheir special tactics group and were determined to have a target. "Instead of investigating like police normally do they engaged inspying, and suspicious minds always find proof." Fairbrother said that when the solicitor-general David Collins in2007 withdrew the original terrorism charges, the Crown should have"pulled the plug". He said the full cost of the trial would never be known but hebelieved the justice system was very good because the rightdecisions had been made. "I do think the police have to consider whether spying isappropriate in New Zealand or whether fronting up and confrontingpeople is the right way to go about it." Fairbrother said he had yet to speak to Iti over the latestdecision. "He will be very relieved. He has been really worried; it has beenan extremely stressful four years for him and the others." Earlier Fairbrother said he hoped some good might come of theordeal in making connections between the "Tuhoe approach to thingsand the Pakeha way of doing things". "There shouldn't be a mystery. What was going on in the bush wasprivate activity. Information was gained surreptitiously. Theycould have knocked on the door they would have been told." 'Stoked' Urs Signer said last night he was "obviously stoked" the Crownwould not seek a retrial. "It's a great sigh of relief." Signer declined to comment further until today. "I'm just waiting to see the paper work being passed through mylawyer tomorrow morning. Then we'll be in a better position to makea comment." The charges date back to a raid on groups living in the Ureweras in2007. Former Police Minister Annette King revealed earlier this monththat Collins changed his advice after telling senior ministers thatthose involved in the Urewera training camps could be charged underthe Terrorism Suppression Act. A series of revelations followed the raids, including the emergenceof secret surveillance of Urewera bush camp trainees talking aboutkilling people for practice, throwing Molotov cocktails intogas-filled buildings, blowing up power stations, televisionnetworks and the Waihopai spy base. There were also revelations that United States President George WBush was a possible assassination target as was John Key, who wasopposition leader at that time. Key revealed on Monday that he was briefed by police before theraids - but they never let on that he was an alleged target tillsome time later, when they became aware the Sunday Star Times waspreparing to publish the fact. They alerted him to the story so he would have time to tell hischildren, Key said. Email this article Print this article Text size + - more... Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Latest NZ News Video ONE News Minute 9am Update: May 9 (1:13) ONE News Minute 9am Update: May 9 (1:13) Online shopping on the rise (1:53). I am an expert from opticalfiberpatchcable.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China SFP Transceiver Module , Mini Displayport Male To Female, Optical Fiber Splitter,and more.
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