By JOHN ARMSTRONG
The Prime Minister's security is again under scrutiny after a threatening letter from a group calling itself the "Maori Republican Army" was passed to her Beehive office last week.
The letter was mailed anonymously to the Truth newspaper, but carried warnings addressed directly to Helen Clark.
Truth forwarded a copy to her office, which immediately referred it to the police diplomatic protection squad.
Helen Clark was in New York at the time.
She confirmed yesterday that her police protection had already been beefed up "considerably."
That review had been given even more urgency after a Sunday newspaper published a map showing the location of her Auckland home.
Her house is now under constant surveillance by the police, while more-sophisticated internal alarms have been fitted.
The threatening letter, which was described as incoherent, told the Prime Minister to prepare for a civil war and to "meet your fate."
"The British and the USA have no future here. We will take our land forcibly if provoked.
"Helen Clark - this your last warning.
"It is time to decolonise."
Inquiries within Maoridom are understood to have been fruitless in tracking down the identity of members of the organisation, which claims to be based in Otara.
Breaking from past practice, a New Zealand police officer did not accompany Helen Clark to New York, where she attended a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.
As a head of Government, she was automatically accorded American Secret Service protection.
Agents accompanied her to all engagements, travelled in her car and patrolled the corridor outside her hotel room.
"I decided to save the New Zealand taxpayer some money. They proved to be extremely good. I was never out of their sight," the Prime Minister said.
Police Minister George Hawkins would not comment last night, saying he had been on leave and was yet to be briefed.
Letter hinting at civil war prompts PM security alert
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