SIS gives Ahmed Zaoui the all clear
Hakim Talbi
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4200782a10.html
SIS gives Ahmed Zaoui the all clear
'I'm free', refugee tells family - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 13
September 2007
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JOHN SELKIRK/Dominion Post
NO LONGER A THREAT: Algerian man Ahmed Zaoui is greeted by a well
wisher after an SIS announcement he is no longer deemed a threat to
New Zealand's security.
Mr Zaoui is now anticipating a family reunion as soon as possible.
In a rare public press conference at 3pm, SIS director Warren Tucker
said while Mr Zaoui was clearly a risk to the security of New Zealand
when he arrived in 2002, that was no longer the case.
Dr Tucker said three things had changed since the original risk
certificate was issued: Mr Zaoui had been more candid in his
disclosures, the service had received fresh classified information
about Mr Zaoui's association with his former political party in
Algeria, and the length of time he had been in New Zealand mitigated
some of those risks.
A gleeful Mr Zaoui said he was "delighted" with the news and hoped
that his wife and four children, who have been living in Malaysia, may
soon be permitted to join him in New Zealand.
"I spoke to my family today. They are very excited; they cried. The
situation will not be easy but I hope they will come soon"
When he spoke to his wife, he rejoiced down the phoneline "I'm
free". p> Immigration minister David Cunliffe said today the refugee
status granted to Mr Zaoui in August 2003 by Refugee Status Appeals
Authority still applied.
"The Department of Labour will now ensure that Mr Zaoui's situation
and immigration status is regularised as soon as possible, and will be
working with his representatives to do that.
"Mr Zaoui will be able to apply to have his family join him."
Mr Zaoui has been separated from his wife, Leila Tidjani, and four
children since arriving in New Zealand in December 2002. He has spent
almost two years in prison, including 10 months in solitary
confinement.
Arriving to a rapturous welcome from supporters at the Catholic
community's Dominican Priory in Auckland today, Mr Zaoui struggled to
contain his emotions.
Surrounded by his legal team, his voice breaking, Mr Zaoui said he was
relieved at the decision.
"Not just because my name is cleared but because the (security) risk
is removed and I'm not long considered as a threat to New Zealand," he
said.
"When I come to New Zealand I believed fundamentally (it was) a just
and democratic country."
In a sign a deal had been struck, Dr Tucker said Mr Zaoui had accepted
that the action taken by the SIS in 2002, and since then, was
justified. Mr Zaoui had given specific assurances to the SIS about his
future activities in New Zealand and signed a sworn statement to that
effect.
The SIS would "maintain regular contact with Mr Zaoui for the purpose
of enabling me to continue to be comfortable about my assessment that
he is no longer a risk," Dr Tucker said.
He would not answer questions about whether the decision was an
embarrassment for the SIS, but did say that parts of the Immigration
Act had not worked well, and that he regretted the length of time it
had taken to reach this point.
Prime Minister Helen Clark issued a brief statement saying the
decision was Dr Tucker's alone to make, and that he had her full
confidence.
Mr Zaoui expressed his gratitude to Dr Tucker for having the courage
to revisit his predecessor's decision to issue the certificate and
hoped it would put an end to what he called false accusations,
originating from the Algerian military regime, that he was at any time
a terrorist or a supporter of terrorism.
He said he conceded that the issuing of the risk certificate was
justified "in order to move on", but did not accept that he has in
fact at any time been a danger to the security of New Zealand or any
other country, nor did he accept the classified information on which
the SIS has relied was accurate.
Mr Zaoui said he accepted there would always be suspicions about his
background.
"I come to New Zealand to get to safety and I understand some people
who are opposed to my case and I can't convince them but the New
Zealand Government accepts me."
Mr Zaoui said he was a man of peace and just wanted safety for himself
and his family.
He said his focus was now on living a normal life, aimed at promoting
inter-faith dialogue and harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims in
New Zealand.
Sitting alongside Mr Zaoui, lawyer and long-time advocate Deborah
Manning said he had a few wishes for the future other than his family,
including resuming his career as an academic.
"He wants to work on his English, he wants to get his driver's
licence, he wants to continue coaching soccer - all very normal
things," Ms Manning said.
"He would also like to one day be able to work again in teaching at
university - he was a lecturer at a university in Algeria teaching
religious studies - so he wants to work towards that with his
English."
Green Party MP Keith Locke, a long-time supporter of Mr Zaoui, was
delighted by the decision.
"Ahmed Zaoui's success benefits the civil liberties of all New
Zealanders, by making the Government more accountable as to who it
labels a 'security threat'. The so-called 'war on terror' has given
too much power to the executive arm of government," he said.
"It should be kept in mind that Ahmed's legal team were initially -
and shamefully - denied access to the allegations against him. The
Zaoui lawyers were only able to expose the shabbiness of the SIS case
because they fought and won in court the right to a summary of the SIS
evidence. Forced to show its hand, the SIS scoured the world for
further evidence to discredit Ahmed, and finally fronted up only in
July this year - at which point, the SIS case fell apart."