New Zealand Prime Minister John Key ordered an investigation into allegations that its intelligence agency used illegal means to spy on file-sharing tycoon Kim Dotcom, leading up to his arrest.
The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), while it was assisting police to investigate Dotcom, likely used illegal means to find people who later received arrest warrants, according to TVNZ.
“I expect our intelligence agencies to operate always within the law. Their operations depend on public trust,” Key said Monday, according to the network.
While Key said that he was “quite shocked” over the allegations against the spy agency, he had confidence in the GCSB, according to The Dominion Post.
Dotcom and three others were arrested in January after police raided his mansion in Auckland at the behest of the FBI. The popular Megaupload website that he owned was also shut down in the wake of the arrest.
A lawyer for Dotcom told the Post that it is unclear if the investigation will halt the case to extradite him from New Zealand to the United States. He is wanted by American law enforcement on piracy charges.
Following the announcement, Dotcom on Monday Tweeted: “Illegal restraining order. Illegal search warrant. Illegal removal of evidence to the U.S. Unlawful surveillance by the GCSB. To be continued.”
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