Green light for Dotcom to sue New Zealand spy agency
A Kiwi court has ruled that Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom can sue New Zealand's spy agency for illegal surveillance, opening the government up to more scrutiny over its role in an unlawful 2011 police raid on the internet entrepreneur's home.
The New Zealand Appeals Court rejected an application from the attorney general, acting on behalf of the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), to exclude the agency from the lawsuit. New Zealand's High court ruled last year the agency could be held liable for illegally spying on Dotcom.
Dotcom is seeking damages from the government for its role in a raid in January 2011, when New Zealand police helicopters swooped on the flamboyant entrepreneur's mansion at the request of U.S. authorities. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation accuses Dotcom of leading a group that netted $175 million since 2005 by copying and distributing copyrighted content without authorisation.
