Greens call for Zaoui inquiry

The Green Party wants an inquiry into the Crown Law Office in the wake of the Crown's failure to win any of the five legal cases involving Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui.

Mr Zaoui was released from prison on Thursday night after being granted bail by the Supreme Court, despite the Crown's opposition.

He had been imprisoned for two years without charge because the Security Intelligence Service considered him a threat to national security.

However, the Solicitor-General, Terence Arnold, QC, told the court on Thursday Mr Zaoui was not a threat to New Zealand's security, and the concerns revolved around communication and association with people overseas.

Green MP and a supporter of Mr Zaoui Keith Locke said yesterday he would seek an inquiry from Attorney-General Margaret Wilson into Crown Law following the failure of all legal proceedings against Mr Zaoui, who is now living at the Dominican Priory in Newton, Auckland.

"The court cases have shown stunning incompetence," he said. "If the public is to continue to have confidence in them, a shake-up of Crown Law and the Solicitor-General's office is needed."

Meanwhile Mr Locke said Mr Zaoui, an Algerian MP on the run since a military coup in that country in 1991, would not attend a dinner at Parliament's Grand Hall tomorrow to celebrate Human Rights Day.

Event organisers had hoped Mr Zaoui would attend and speak, but Mr Locke said he did not want to put pressure on Mr Zaoui, who was still recuperating after his ordeal.

If Mr Zaoui had attended it would have put him scant metres from the Beehive's ninth floor and the office of Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the SIS Helen Clark.

Mr Locke said he hoped Mr Zaoui would come to Parliament at some stage to meet his "fellow MPs".