The National Security Agency used New Zealand government technology to spy on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, The New Zealand Herald reports.
New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) admitted to the country's high court that it ended surveillance on Dotcom in 2012. However, the Herald obtained the court judgment in July showing that the GCSB "has admitted unlawfully intercepting private communications of Kim and Mona Dotcom (the Dotcoms) and Bram van der Kolk during the period from Dec. 16, 2011 to March 22, 2012."
The documents show that the GCSB ended its active involvement on Jan. 20, 2012, the day Dotcom's mansion was raided by the police. However, "limited interception of some communications continued beyond the detasking date without the knowledge of GCSB staff."
A 2013 review of the GCSB found that it had unlawfully spied on 88 people.
According to the Herold, the GCSB documents contain an admission of NSA involvement, but it was not made outright.
Dotcom told the Herald, "New Zealanders must know how much power a foreign state holds over their private information."
He added, "The NSA has unrestricted access to GCSB surveillance systems. In fact, most of the technology the GCSB uses was supplied by the NSA."
Dotcom also said he expects his legal team to take action in response to this revelation.
"If the GCSB was aiding and abetting the NSA to spy directly on New Zealanders, then the seriousness of the situation has changed dramatically and a truly independent inquiry and a new criminal investigation will be unavoidable."
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