Dotcom cock-ups watched closely in USA

The New Zealand Government’s bungled handling of the Megaupload case is being watched closely by United States law enforcement agencies and what they see isn’t pretty according to the Labour Party.

Labour’s communications and IT spokesperson Clare Curran has just returned from a three week US State Department-funded study tour looking at the American perspective on intellectual property enforcement and says the Dotcom case continues to be a hot topic of discussion.

“The Megaupload case is high on the agenda of all enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security, the FBI and the Department of Justice along with the IP content owners, such as the Motion Picture Association (MPAA),” Curran says.

“It was made clear to me that the ‘New Zealand Government’s co-operation’ is essential for the successful extradition of New Zealand resident Kim Dotcom and his co-accused in Megaupload.

"This case is seen as an important test for the US enforcement agencies.

“American interest in this case reaches the highest levels. It is unthinkable that New Zealand Government ministers and the Prime Minister would not have been part of discussions about the case and the extradition issues before the raid occurred on 20 January.

“The National Government has not done New Zealand any favours to date with its botched handling of the Megaupload case.

"There are too many unanswered questions, the most important ones being what was the involvement of politicians in the Megaupload case before and after the 20 January raid, and why was New Zealand so eager to co-operate?

“Our international reputation as a nation which makes its own decisions based on the rule of law is precious but the Prime Minister’s inability to be upfront with New Zealanders about his and his Government’s true role in the case is putting our credibility on the line.

“New Zealand’s public interest demands that that the truth is told, that our laws are upheld, and our reputation as an independent nation is not undermined."