New Zealand activists held in 'anti-terrorism' raids

[NYVet]

Source: AFP

WELLINGTON (AFP) — New Zealand police arrested 17 people in a series of 'anti-terrorist' raids across the North Island Monday, with Maori and environmental activists the main target, media reports said.

<snip>

He said several firearms were seized and 17 arrests made in connection with the training camps, which involved people harbouring "a range of motivations" and from various ethnicities.

<snip>

It understood police had video of military-style training with live ammunition in camps deep in mountain ranges and expected to find machine guns and grenades during their raids.

"These guys are serious. They are talking of killing people," a source was quoted as telling Fairfax.

The Fairfax report said investigators believed that the various groups were planning to hit targets related to their own interests but with all the hits "coordinated to cause maximum chaos and stretching police resources across the country."

Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jWNQpmkeV_SEzxfVHffPNgUGVtWw

[librechik]

1. dang--cancel New Zealand as a possible escape from the madness

they seem to have it bad down there too!

[kestrel91316]

2. Environmentalists are the new "enemy". Yikes.

[NYVet]

3. When they have auomatic weapons and are doing military training they are... (NT)

[The Stranger]

4. Non-environmentalists with automatic weapons, do military training, and governments aren't attacked.

What is it about being an environmentalist that is a threat to you?

[Speciesamused]

5. I agree. Environmentalists are a threat to any reigme...

Especially if they are speaking out.
Do not believe everything the authorities tell you.
Its not all true. THEY lie to cover up......

[NYVet]

6. I Have no problems with law abiding citizens owning automatic weapons

However, New Zealand may have laws concerning posession of those weapons.

I think that the real issue was that these people planned on killing people and causing "chaos while stretching Police resources."

[Speciesamused]

7. You seem to side with the cops quite often here.

are you a police officer?

[NYVet]

9. former Army Military Police officer

I spent almost 5 years as an MP. I still have a good many friends that are in the law enforcement profession.

I was also on the receiving side of the law a couple of times in my youth, and when caught, took my punishment and learned from the experience.

[Barrett808]

8. What we have are police claims...

And no statements in the story from any of the accused groups.

This looks like standard Red Squad
work targeted at activists. Until the corroborating evidence is made public, I'll withhold judgment.