Dr Wayne Mapp MP National Party Immigration Spokesman

31 March 2004

Law must take its course in Zaoui case

National Party Immigration spokesman Wayne Mapp says the law must be allowed to take its course following a High Court order for the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security to stand aside from a review of the Ahmed Zaoui case.

"The Government now has only two choices. It can either move to appeal the decision or act to appoint a new inspector-general for this case.

"The National Party has consistently argued that this would be a matter which was always destined to be determined by the law.

"That process should now be allowed to take its course.

"Mr Zaoui is still the subject of a National Security Certificate and the law provides for that to be reviewed by the inspector-general. If it is not Justice Laurie Greig, then it will be someone else.

"The Government should resist the fresh calls for Mr Zaoui to be released until the matter has been properly resolved under the law.

"This law is in place to protect the security of New Zealanders while at the same time providing proper legal avenues to assess these procedures," says Dr Mapp.

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