Terrorist plot uncovered, covered.

Recently there has been a nationwide controversy as the New Zealand police carried out several raids on the homes of and training grounds of 'terrorists'.
The search warrants were carried out under the Firearms Act and the Terrorism Suppression Act.
No-one was physically hurt in these raids, but 17 men (mainly Maori political activists) were arrested with some of them facing serious firearms charges.

This issue has absolutely torn up any pretense of a comfortably multi-cultural society in New Zealand, as racial divisions are clearly being shown by all sides. Parliament has erupted, but instead of burning lava and ash there are personal feuds and gargantuan clashes of ego creeping downwards to the unsuspecting population (and possibly a sleeping minister or two) below.

Newstalk ZB (http://nz.news.yahoo.com/071023/2/256u.html#) says:

"Tempers have frayed in Parliament, with Maori Party MP Hone Harawira claiming police are ignorant towards Maori.

Mr Harawira used a speech in Parliament this afternoon to continue his party's attacks on police following last weeks terror raids. He laid into police, attacking them for the way the raids were carried out. Mr Harawira likened their actions to those used by the US to invade Iraq and find the supposed weapons of mass destruction.

"And a readiness to brutalise Tuhoe in exactly the same way they did a hundred years ago, even using 70 armed constabulary like they did back then."

The speech infuriated Peter Dunne, who labelled it disgusting.

"It becomes the dignity of that member and this house no good at all, to behave in that manner on a matter of this type. I intend to waste no more time on the member because frankly he doesn't deserve it."

The Maori Party also highlighted criticism from the Montreal Maori Solidarity Committee, which describes last week's arrests as suppression of the legitimate right to dissent.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia responded saying New Zealand has one of the best records for race relations, and while there may be tensions, they are not new. He says if the country is serious about nationhood people should not be trying to pull it asunder. Mr Horomia says "a lot of rubbish" is being talked about the issue at the moment."

The likening of the raids to the American invasion of Iraq for weapons of mass destruction strikes me as being somewhat off-the-mark for several reasons.
What I feel Mr. Harawira neglects to mention is that in this case, the weapons they were searching for were actually there.
I don't think this is a blatant case of anti-Maori racism - I think the police heard something very close to what we did. A large group of armed men (not Maori, not 'Pakeha', but unidentified men with guns) were running around in a forest wearing camouflage gear, and upon further inspection many were found to have illegal weaponry including Molotov cocktails.

None of the arrested men were terrorists, and I feel calling them that is part of the reason why this issue is escalating out of control.
Terrorism in the modern sense is "violence or other harmful acts committed (or threatened) against civilians for political or other ideological goals."
There is no evidence whatsoever of these men plotting against civilians, or seeking to cause any kind of terror. The only party which has even come close to inspiring terror in this case is the police, by arresting several men on firearms charges and claiming they had just prevented a malicious terrorist plot.

I do feel that the Terrorism Suppression Act was misused in this case.
At best it was an overreaction (much like everything else that has been said regarding this matter), and at worst it was a deliberate decision made to justify the persecution of several minority groups.
However, many are demanding the immediate release of all activists placed under arrest. While I would support this if they had done nothing that could be considered illegal, they are currently in court for serious firearms charges, not for being 'terrorists'.
One of the accused has been released on bail already, and the rest are expected to be able to do so within the coming few days.
Molotov cocktails aren't for drinking, despite what your arch-nemesis told you, and if the police find several of them in your house after searching it under the Firearms Act I believe they have every right to ask you a few questions.

This issue, among others, has found itself proving once more that racial relations in New Zealand are not as comfortable as we're often told they are.
Laws set in place to combat terror have been misused for the first time in our country, and a large military-style operation has single-handedly managed to fiercely reignite lingering racial tension, cause a public outcry, and confiscate a few guns.
I think that the way this issue is resolved (or not) will make the difference between whether or not these men will be remembered as criminals or martyrs several years from now.
The way I see it, there's a good chance they'll still be considered as both.

It all started with the All Blacks losing.