Police acted swiftly on suspect divers says Wilson

Police acted immediately they were alerted to concerns over three men of Middle Eastern appearance who enrolled on a dive course that involved explosives training, the Associate Justice Minister said yesterday.

Margaret Wilson was responding to claims from the National Party that police lacked the resources to follow up a tip-off about the trio, who aroused suspicion when they pulled out of the Hamilton course without asking for refunds.

National police spokesman Tony Ryall said yesterday that security camera footage of the men was lost because a month's delay in responding to the tip-off.

But Margaret Wilson said police were not told until July, a month after the enrolments, and inquiries started immediately.

"The investigation so far has not produced any evidence of links with terrorism."

Police said they had interviewed two men and inquiries were continuing. The trio had paid $8000 each to train at the Hamilton branch of Dive HQ.

Two of the men failed to turn up for the course and the third called to withdraw from it after attending the first session.

Hamilton Dive HQ owner Alan Strong said he contacted local police on the recommendation of an Occupational Safety and Health officer after the three men failed to ask for a refund, which was unusual.

- NZPA