Tears after judge leaves Iti in custody

Tame Iti

After a hearing spanning three days, Maori activist Tame Iti was denied bail in the Rotorua District Court yesterday.

But already his supporters are saying the decision will be appealed to the High Court.

Iti will appear again in the Rotorua court next Wednesday. A crown application to move the hearing to Auckland will be opposed, a member of his legal team said.

His whanau expressed sadness and disappointment at yesterday's result, some in tears.

His son Toi approached the media outside court to make a brief statement.

"Of course we are all very disappointed my father has been remanded in custody. But my father is not a terrorist, and I believe that the majority of New Zealand public realise that."

Yesterday, three charges were laid with the court to add to the eight firearms and molotov cocktail counts Iti already faces.

They related to the day he was arrested and alleged he was in possession of a Ruger .22, a MacTech .22, and a Siga 7.62-calibre firearm.

Earlier, outside the courtroom, Iti's lawyer Annette Sykes said the media were not allowed in to hear the judge's decision on bail. She said Judge James Rota had expressed concern that some sections of the media had reported details from a police summary of facts, evidence that was before the courts.

The court yesterday also considered an application for bail by another man who appeared in relation to police raids on Monday. He has name suppression and his application hearing will continue this afternoon.

Moana Jackson, spokesman for the Maori Law Commission, attended yesterday's hearing in support of Iti.

While disappointed at the decision, he said Ms Sykes would immediately lodge a High Court appeal.

"We are concerned particularly that the Crown seems to be following the British anti-terrorism legislation, which allows holding suspects or people to be charged for an indefinite period before charge, rather than the New Zealand law, which does not allow people who've been charged or arrested to be held pending further investigations. So we think there are clear legal grounds for appeal."

The anti-terror legislation drafted by the Government bore an uncanny resemblance to the Suppression of Rebellion Act passed in New Zealand in the 1860s, Mr Jackson said, which was unacceptable in the 21st century.

In a separate hearing, four Wellingtonians arrested as part of the police raids made a second court appearance yesterday. They face a variety of charges under the Arms Act.

The four, whose identities are suppressed, are due to reappear in Wellington District Court tomorrow.

Judge Ian Mill said bail applications and other pretrial matters would be considered then.

Before the two men and two women were brought before the judge, Green MP Keith Locke joined about 200 people as they staged a demonstration in their support outside the court.