Watchdog tight-lipped on inquiry

The man charged with investigating claims the Security Intelligence Service spied on Maori groups and identities won't say how he will conduct the probe, as questions continue to hang over the source of the allegations.

Justice Paul Neazor, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, said yesterday that he did not know how long his investigation would take.

He refused to answer any other questions - including whom he might seek evidence from and what the consequences would be for anybody refusing to co-operate.

"I'm not going to flag to anyone what I'm doing, who I'm talking to, how I'm going to go about it," he said.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced a wide-ranging probe by the Inspector-General into allegations published in the Sunday Star-Times about improper spying on Maori groups and organisations.

In doing so she challenged those making the claims to "put up or shut up".

The inquiry decision came after Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia lodged a complaint with Justice Neazor in response to the articles, which alleged SIS operatives spied on Maori organisations and individuals over several years under "Operation Leaf". The paper said it had spoken to three spies.

Political parties from across the spectrum called for an independent inquiry after the allegations appeared, and National and NZ First said yesterday that they were satisfied with the probe announced.

NZ First leader Winston Peters said the newspaper had an obligation to consult its sources and advise them that the proper thing to do would be to go to the authorities.

But Green MP Keith Locke defended the right of journalists to withhold their sources.

He said the Prime Minister should make up her mind whether she wanted an inquiry to punish the newspaper and news website Scoop - which made similar claims - or whether she wanted the truth.

The Inspector-General has the powers of a commission of inquiry. He can require people to give evidence or furnish documents and fine anybody who refuses. The penalty for refusing to co-operate is a fine of up to $5000. Sunday Star-Times editor Cate Brett has said the paper would not be revealing its sources.

In an editorial in last Sunday's issue the newspaper called for an independent inquiry, saying the Inspector-General's office was unsuitable because it was tainted from the Ahmed Zaoui affair which led the previous incumbent, Justice Laurie Greig, to resign.

Meanwhile, Helen Clark revealed yesterday that she had asked SIS director Richard Woods if it was possible that operations had been occurring that he had not known about.

"The director and his management team feel that they have in place the management, control and audit systems that would prevent that happening," she told National Radio.

"Were that to be the case any such person would be very severely dealt with and undoubtedly dismissed from the service."

Helen Clark also labelled the behaviour of the Sunday Star-Times as "somewhat odd".

"It's actually gone and hired a public relations agency to advocate for it, which I've never known a newspaper to do in this sort of wrangle over a story.

"Let's see their evidence, but all we've got at the moment is shadow-boxing."

Helen Clark said she would have known about any legal phone-tapping because she and the Inspector of Security Warrants, retired High Court judge John Jeffries, have to co-sign them. She said the involvement of a mysterious expatriate New Zealander, Jack Sanders, supported her view that the story was questionable.

On Wednesday the Herald revealed Mr Sanders had been named by Maori activist Whititera Kaihau as the person representing a Nauru embassy with whom he communicated last year. Mr Kaihau said Mr Sanders had advised him to print Maori passports as a way of making money.

In its allegations, the Sunday Star-Times reported that one of the alleged spies whose claims it relied on had used the cover of a South Pacific embassy in its correspondence with Mr Kaihau and had set a "venus fly trap" by suggesting Mr Kaihau set up an operation printing passports.

The Sunday Star-Times has not denied Mr Sanders was one of its sources but Ms Brett has said he was not the "main source".