Pressure on Coleman over Dotcom FBI investigation
Friday 25 Jul 2014 1:58p.m.
Defence Minister and former Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman (Simon Wong/ 3 News)
Labour and the Internet
Party say cabinet minister Jonathan Coleman must "come clean" about when
he knew the FBI was investigating Kim Dotcom.
Dr
Coleman was Immigration Minister when Mr Dotcom was granted residence
in 2010, and has said it was an "arms-length" decision in which he
wasn't involved.
He has said ministers weren't
aware at the time the FBI was investigating Mr Dotcom over the
activities of his MegaUpload company.
The New Zealand Herald reported today there was evidence Dr Coleman knew about the FBI investigation.
Dr
Coleman was briefed by Immigration NZ chief executive Nigel Bickle on
October 28, the day before Dotcom was granted residency, the Herald reports.
"An
Immigration NZ spokesman said 'the general information about the FBI
was passed to Mr Bickle who then passed it to the minister'."
Labour's Grant Robertson is calling for "a truthful account" of what happened.
"It is increasingly apparent the whole story is yet to be told," he said.
Internet Party leader Laila Harré says it's now apparent Dr Coleman was fully briefed on the FBI investigation.
"Jonathan
Coleman's fingerprints are all over this - are we still expected to
believe he didn't discuss the investigation with any of his colleagues,
before endorsing the decision to grant residency?"
A spokeswoman for Dr Coleman told NZ Newswire the minister had nothing to add to his previous comments.
"As
the minister said earlier this week, the decision to grant residency
was made by officials, at arms-length from the minister."
Mr
Dotcom is claiming there was a conspiracy involving the FBI and the
Government to grant him residence so he could be extradited.
US authorities want to extradite him to face internet piracy charges.
The hearing has been delayed several times and won't take place until next year.
NZN
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