Urewera jurors told: 'two worlds, one law'

The accused - (from left) Te Rangikaiwhira Kemara, Emily Felicity Bailey, Urs Signer and Tame Wairere Iti - in the dock in the High Court at Auckland Photo / Brett Phibbs

The jury deciding the case of the Urewera four must decide whether the group were training a militia or practicing bushcraft and learning skills for security work overseas.

The 11 jurors have retired to consider their verdicts in the trial of Tame Iti, Urs Signer, Emily Bailey and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara.

The four are on trial at the High Court at Auckland accused of being involved in military-style training camps.

They deny charges of possessing guns and belonging to an organised criminal group, with objectives including murder, arson and using guns against the police.

Justice Rodney Hansen took them through the charges and what the Crown must prove beyond reasonable doubt.

"Some have said this trial will go down in history. Maybe it will, maybe it won't."

He said it is not possible to judge how the trial will be seen in the future.

"It is not a matter that should trouble you or deflect you from your duty."

Justice Hansen said the prosecution case was that the group was preparing to commit serious violent offences as a back-up plan to Tuhoe negotiations with the Crown.

However, Iti's lawyer Russell Fairbrother argued the group was teaching bushcraft skiills and Kemara's lawyer Jeremy Bioletti said they were learning security skills so young people could get jobs overseas.

Justice Hansen said that was for the jurors to decide.

"Maybe there are two worlds as Mr Fairbrother has suggested but there is one law - the law that binds us all and under which you must reach your verdict."

The fact that firearms charges against 14 co-accused had been dropped was not a factor in their decisions, Justice Hansen said.