Peace movement hails acquittal

Nelson peace campaigners Anne FitzSimon and Susie Lees have hailed yesterday's decision to free the three men who broke into a government spy base near Blenheim as a victory for a small country like New Zealand against bigger powers.

"We have a US military base on our soil, but New Zealand court action was needed to make a point," said Ms FitzSimon, who is the Nelson Peace Group spokeswoman.

Teacher Adrian Leason, 45, Dominican friar Peter Murnane, 69, and farmer Sam Land, 26, were charged in 2008 with burglary and wilful damage at the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) base at Waihopai.

The three activists freely admitted breaking into the base and slashing an inflatable plastic dome covering a satellite dish. Their defence was that they mounted the attack to prevent others' suffering.

A jury in Wellington District Court took two hours to acquit them of all charges yesterday.

Neither Ms FitzSimon nor Ms Lees condoned vandalism of property, but said the actions of the men had triggered a wider knowledge of Waihopai and why it existed.

Ms FitzSimon said the jury's decision had restored her faith in New Zealanders' compassion. "The decision is wonderful. Those guys did what they did for the good of more people than just themselves."

She added it was another sign of New Zealand's ability to "stand up for big things". "Look at our history. We were the first to give women the vote, we stood up with a loud voice against apartheid in South Africa and the nuclear free issue."

Ms Lees, who describes herself as a concerned citizen and not a paid-up member of any group, said the decision was "brilliant" and showed that New Zealand had the right to challenge an authority like the United States military on New Zealand soil.

"Here we have something in our midst we know nothing about and someone challenged it. They did a bit of damage, and I'm not justifying people damaging property, but it was just a bit of kevlar," Ms Lees said.

But Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman said he was "surprised to say the least", and disappointed by the verdict.

"I can't understand how you can damage property and walk away without a conviction – that seems very strange to me." He believed the defence of "the greater good" used by the defence was "silly". "It flies in the face of common sense."

He believed the verdict might "tempt" others to try similar stunts on the base, and said the verdict "sent a very poor message". "I'm frustrated by the whole exercise."

Kaikoura MP Colin King compared the defence of "for the greater good" to the defence of provocation being used. "It's a defence for doing something that is wrong ... But that's the legal system."

He said the verdict meant security would need to be improved at the base.

Green MP Keith Locke said yesterday the acquittal was a victory for the peace movement, which has campaigned for the closure of the base.

"I hope that the not-guilty verdict will help break down the blanket of secrecy that successive governments have imposed around the operations of the base, and its true purpose," he said.

The Christchurch-based Anti-Bases Campaign went further, calling for prosecution of the base operators for crimes against humanity.

Spokesman Murray Horton said the "Domebusters" had believed they had the law on their side and were proud of what they did. "They did it because Waihopai operates, in all but name, as an outpost of United States intelligence on NZ soil." He said the base should be closed immediately.

Mr Murnane said, outside the court, he believed the satellite aided crimes against humanity. "I had to do this, it was necessary for me," he said.

"We wanted, in going into Waihopai, to challenge these warfaring behaviours and I think we have done this," he said.

-with Agencies

- © Fairfax NZ News