Allegations SIS spied on Maori leaders and organisations

1.00pm

The Security Intelligence Service is being accused of a campaign against high-profile Maori, and iwi organisations.

A Sunday newspaper has printed allegations of bugging and infiltration operations, which it says is way beyond the department's remit.

The report quotes un-named individuals it said worked covertly for the SIS. The sources describe how they worked their way into positions of trust, tampered with computers and stole documents.

The Sunday Star-Times claims the aim was to gather intelligence or incriminating material on the activities of iwi businesses, finances and Treaty claims. Thousands of pages of communications were allegedly intercepted.

The paper says the operation - codenamed Leaf - may not have had formal approval from the Prime Minister's office, which oversees the SIS.

Green MP Keith Locke is calling for an investigation into the activities of the Security Intelligence Service, saying he is shocked by the report.

Mr Locke says the SIS is not supposed to be investigating the affairs of people or organisations, just because they do not agree with what the government is doing.

He says it appears the SIS has embarked on a political adventure, well outside its legal remit.

Allegations were made earlier this month on an online news service that the SIS had launched a major covert operation investigating the Maori Party and its leader, Tariana Turia.

The article on Scoop shocked Mrs Turia and was described as "laughable" by a spokeswoman for Prime Minister and SIS Minister Helen Clark.

- NEWSTALK ZB