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One of 17 people facing firearms charges in the wake of police anti-terror raids last week has gone public about his time in custody.
Rongomai Bailey, 28, who faces four firearms charges, including possession of a rifle and a Molotov cocktail, held a press conference in central Auckland yesterday, a day after his release from a remand in custody.
On the advice of his lawyer, who was not present, and his media minder, John Minto, who was, Bailey refused to answer questions directly related to the charges against him.
He did, however, deny allegations that he was a terrorist, or that he had ever possessed firearms.
He said he had heard "second hand" of injuries inflicted on his co-defendant Jamie Lockett - whom, Bailey said, had been beaten twice while in custody.
Lockett had received deep cuts that required stitches in one attack and "was not in a good state".
Bailey was put in protective custody to be with a friend who was in there, but believed it could also have been because he was "weedy" and could have been beaten up himself.
He said his cellmate was attacked after a dispute over a cigarette, and was punched, kicked and doused with boiling water in the process.
Remand prison deprivations included inmates needing to buy phone cards to call the outside world, chronic understaffing and underfunding, and a lack of support for prisoners.
Prisoners receive $2.70 a week pocket money to buy "all the necessaries of life", and Bailey used his to buy a pen.
He bought two "just in case someone stole one of them".
The pens were used to fill out the myriad forms required to be completed by prisoners, the press conference was told.
Remand prisoners appeared to receive little support from the outside, and on occasions when they were allowed into the exercise yard, "everyone just seems to go in there and pace up and down".
Bailey also spoke of his protest history, which began with action against the Wellington motorway extension and Transmission Gully project, then moved to "global issues" and "the bogus war on terror".
Bailey had taken part in a anti-genetic-engineering protest that featured "the world's largest GE-free sandwich".
He is due to return to the Auckland District Court - with his 16 co-accused - on November 1.
* Activist Tame Iti was further remanded in custody when he made a brief appearance in the Rotorua District Court yesterday.
Iti, who faces 11 firearms charges in connection with police anti-terrorism raids at Ruatoki in the Eastern Bay of Plenty on October 15, smiled and waved from the dock at supporters in the packed public gallery.
Prosecutor Taryn Bayley said an application for transfer of proceedings to Auckland would be argued today.
Iti's lawyers are still waiting for a date and venue to be set for a bail application to be heard in the High Court.
additional reporting NZPA
