Activist's nephew revealed as one of guerrilla training camp accused

A nephew of veteran Maori activist Tame Iti is the latest of 17 accused of taking part in training camps in the Bay of Plenty bush to have their identity revealed.

Rawiri Kiyami Iti, a 29-year old machine operator of Hamilton, appeared in the Auckland District Court on six firearms charges stemming from the police's Operation 8 anti-terrorist sting. Iti made an unsuccessful bail application, and was remanded in custody until November 2.

The details of yesterday's hearing have been suppressed by Judge Josephine Bouchier, as have the reasons for the suppressions.

Six defendants - aged 19 to 59 - appeared in court yesterday on firearms charges. A seventh defendant will have his case heard on Tuesday.

All except Rawiri Iti and his co-defendant Jamie Lockett, fought to have their identities kept secret yesterday, strenuously opposing media applications to publish their names and faces. Tame Iti was refused bail when he appeared in the Rotorua District Court this week.

Only one bid for continued suppression was upheld by Judge Bouchier yesterday, that of a 32-year-old dancer facing three arms charges.

All other applications were declined - including that of a Vietnam War veteran who faces four firearms charges, including possession of Molotov cocktails.

But the defendants appealed to the High Court. The move forced Judge Bouchier to maintain interim suppressions until the matters can be heard on dates yet to be set.

As defendants fought for anonymity inside, a group of about 30 protesters demonstrated on the street outside. There were similar scenes outside the Wellington District Court, as four other defendants appeared on firearms charges.

But the public will remain in the dark about the strength and nature of the evidence against the Wellington four, as Judge Bruce Davidson suppressed all details including reasons for declining bail in those matters.

The four, aged 23 to 36, face a raft of firearms charges over several four- or five-day periods between January and September this year in Rotorua. Charges include possession of semi-automatic weapons, rifles, shotguns and Molotov cocktails.

The bail hearing was held in private, a decision which was unopposed by defence counsel and which resulted in dozens of activists being removed from the public gallery.

Issues of bail and name suppression are likely to be revisited when the Wellington accused join their northern co-defendants in the Auckland District Court on November 1.