Tame Iti who was arrested under the terrorism suppression act has shared his thoughts on the terrorist act in Christchurch.
“I was shocked when I heard of the attacks which took place in Christchurch caused by this person on our land. This is something we were accused of preparing to do in Ruatoki in Te Urewera. You see, this is what they do to people of the land all the time. I am certain of it. That red-neck who shot innocent people makes me sick, he did it out of pure hatred, they're just like us”, Mr Iti said.
Iti was among at least 17 people arrested by police on 15 October 2007 in a series of raids under the Terrorism Suppression Act and the Firearms Act. In September 2011 most of the alleged terrorists originally arrested with Iti had all terrorism and firearms charges dropped.
“They came in force to Ruatoki and other places throughout the nation thinking we would do something similar like the accused offender in Christchurch. It is clear to me, they got it wrong and to question us. That is the problem.”
“After 200 years our people across the country are still discriminated. This is the kind of act which impacted on our people of Waikato, Taranaki and Tuhoe, plus activists of Ngā Tamatoa during the period of our so-called Māori movement. That's what they're like. I know all the dirty dealings aligned with the law that have ultimately affected indigenous people just because they think we're different.”