“…the possibility of being not only labelled a terrorist in the media, but prosecuted as one, is a reality.”

Valerie Morse, a 36 year-old anarchist from Wellington, is one of four more of the Urewera 16 (nee 17) whose names were released to the public yesterday, the others being Moana Hemi Winitana and Ira and Emily Bailey. (Of the 16, police have applied to the Solicitor-General to prosecute 12 under anti-terror laws.) This means that ten people have so far been named: Emily Bailey, 30, Ira and Rongomai Bailey, 28, Omar Hamed, 19, Rawiri Iti, 29, Tame Iti, 55, Jamie Lockett, 46, Marama Mayrick, 24, Valerie Morse, 36, and Moana Hemi Winitana, 53. “Six names remain suppressed, including that of a Wellington man who had not been able to tell his mother in Europe of the charges. Two are fighting lifting of name suppression in the High Court. Eleven of the accused are still in custody. The remainder have been freed on strict bail conditions. Tame Iti’s nephew, Rawiri Iti, is due to appear in court today, while the 17th person arrested during the raids faces cannabis charges only and will appear separately.”

Suspect Previously Published Book On War On Terror
Friday, 2 November 2007, 12:05 pm
Press Release: Rebel Press

Alleged Terror Suspect Previously Published Book On ‘War On Terror’

2 November 2007

Valerie Morse, a well-known Wellington anarchist activist and one of the 17 arrested in the police ‘anti-terror’ raids, previously published a book on the effects of the ‘war on terror’ just six months prior.

Against Freedom: The war on terrorism in everyday New Zealand life was published in June and is a prophetic survey of the raft of anti- terror legislation passed in New Zealand since 2001 and of the dangers posed for activists – especially those involved in anti-war, environmental and Tino Rangatiratanga movements – as well as migrants and refugees. It also covers the rise of State surveillance by the Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and the media complicity in its reporting on the ‘war on terror’ in the Pacific and further abroad.

A prophetic passage from the book reads as such: “It is clear that political dissent is now more perilous and more treacherous than before September 11th. Given the new counter- terrorism laws, the possibility of being not only labelled a terrorist in the media, but prosecuted as one, is a reality. By casting political dissent as terrorism, the government, its agencies, the media, and other vested interests assault our freedom of expression” (82).

The book is freely available as PDF on the Rebel Press website, as a hard copy directly from the publisher, or from a number of popular book stores including Unity Books and The Freedom Shop in Wellington.

Valerie Morse had name suppression lifted yesterday but remains detained by the State. Her publisher offers her their unconditional support and solidarity, and demand all charges against the 17 be dropped immediately.

Rebel Press / PO Box 9263 / Te Aro / Wellington [email protected]

In other news, “An independent survey [of a representative sample of 750 people] has shown that only a small proportion of New Zealanders think police overreacted in recent nationwide raids – with most reserving judgement”, according to Radio New Zealand (November 2, 2007). See also : The Urewera 16 appear in court together, Beck Vass, NZ Herald, November 2, 2007

About @ndy

I live in Melbourne, Australia. I like anarchy. I don't like nazis. I enjoy eating pizza and drinking beer. I barrack for the greatest football team on Earth: Collingwood Magpies. The 2024 premiership's a cakewalk for the good old Collingwood.
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6 Responses to “…the possibility of being not only labelled a terrorist in the media, but prosecuted as one, is a reality.”

  1. The international working class will rise up and over through the bourgeoisie. Anarchists are utopian socialists who, along with the aternal enemy, will be crushed by the mighty Stalinist League of Austrlaia. SLA forver.

    We must arm out sevls for the great fight.

    This is a great video of our victory parade at the end of the Second Goth-Stalinist War.

  2. Dr. Cam says:

    You’ll always be a terrorist to me, Peter.

  3. Your on our lists for deportation.

  4. Dr. Cam says:

    And you’re on the ANPA list for extermination. You know too much, Peter.

  5. Ultimate Hater says:

    Peter I am skeptical about your Stalinist revolution given your inability to spell and also the fact you are a wanker.

  6. The question to you is: How many males are wankers? All of them?

    I have launched heaps of Stalinist revolutions in my house and in the school. All ready I rule the bed room and the bath room.

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