Dr Wayne Mapp
National Foreign Affairs Spokesperson

16 October 2003

Information on Zaoui must remain classified

The request by Ahmed Zaoui's lawyer's to the High Court for sensitive security information, no doubt on legal aid, is fundamentally flawed, says National Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Dr Wayne Mapp.

"The whole point about sensitive security intelligence information is that it remains classified. Otherwise there would be little point in having a Security Intelligence Service. As has been noted by the Prime Minister, there is sensitive information which cannot be made public.

"This information is highly classified, and probably includes information from other western countries.

"The only people who are privy to this information are the SIS, the Inspector General and the members of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee.

"The Inspector General is independent, and is able to properly evaluate the material. This independence means Mr Zaoui's rights are protected.

"It is fanciful for the lawyers of Ahmed Zaoui to expect that this classified information would be made available to a person suspected of terrorism," Dr Mapp said.

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