Four "Terror" Accused Appear In Rotorua Today

Thursday, 25 October 2007, 3:08 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

The Urewera 17 saga is continuing to make headlines in New Zealand and around the world today.

Four of the Urewera 17 defendants are appearing in Rotorua District Court today opposing transfer to Auckland District Court. A large demonstration is underway outside the court in Rotorua.

Meanwhile Scoop has finally located all the "terror" case accused arrested on Monday 15th October - adding two more Rotorua names to our list of the taken.

At present 13 of the names of the accused remain suppressed. Name suppression was not sought by Tame Iti and Jamie Lockett, and not continued for Rawiri Iti (Tame's nephew) on Friday and Rongomai Bailey on Tuesday.

Three of the accused have so far been granted bail.

More bail hearings will take place throughout next week culminating with an extended hearing in the Auckland District Court on the 1st and 2nd of November.

Those bailed so far include:
- a 53 year-old accused was granted bail in Palmerston North without police opposition;
- Rongomai Bailey was granted bail in Auckland on Tuesday after an extended hearing failed to show sufficient evidence to warrant his continued detention;
- and Scoop has now confirmed that one of the accused was bailed in Rotorua on Monday 15th of October, and was not rearrested as advised by the Police last week.

Scoop understands that this defendant was caught up in the raids by accident and does not face joint arms act charges with the other defendants.

With the transfer of two Wellington defendants to Auckland early this morning, 11 of the accused are now set to appear in Auckland at the end of next week. The court has ordered the transfer of two women to Auckland also, but they have not been sent yet.

It is not known when the court in Rotorua will decide whether or not to transfer the four presently appearing in that court to Auckland. A lawyer spoken to by Scoop today thought it highly possible that proceedings debating the issue could end up taking more than one day.

Meanwhile no date has been set to hear an appeal on name suppression of several of the defendants in the High Court in Auckland.

Scoop understands at least one of four defendants denied name suppression on Friday has lodged an appeal against lifting of suppression. Name suppression for the others may lapse this afternoon if they fail to lodge an appeal.

(continuing…)

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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