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Death sentence may prevent NZ deporting Zaoui
New Zealand may find it difficult to deport an Algerian asylum seeker linked to terrorist acts because of a death sentence hanging over his head. Ahmed Zaoui, a member of a fundamentalist Islamic political party and suspected of civilian killings in Europe, arrived at Auckland Airport a week ago from Malaysia. Speaking French, he gave himself up to immigration authorities. He had destroyed his South African travel documents during the flight to New Zealand. It is understood that Zaoui, who has been sentenced to death in Algeria, is seeking political asylum."Hi! I'm here! Take care of me! By the way, which way to the mosque?" Zaoui was transferred to Paremoremo prison, where he remains. "Hey! This ain't no mosque!" Under international conventions that New Zealand recognises, anyone who is party to terrorist acts, including by association to terrorist groups, or poses a risk to national security, need not be accepted as a refugee. Although New Zealand is not allowed to extradite people to their home country if they face the death penalty there, it can expel them to a third country. Which can dump them back to where they can get the old neck stretched... A University of Auckland "Nope. Nope. Couldn't do that. We'll have to keep him, even if he does kill babies..." Zaoui is allegedly linked to the militant Armed Islamic Group (GIA), which has been fighting a bitter civil war to restore democracy in Algeria. GIA has been blamed for terrorist acts, including the 1997 Paris Metro bombing that killed eight people. Zaoui has denied involvement with the group. "Nope. Not me. I wouldn't do that kind of stuff. I got a honest fez, don't it?" Dr Buchanan said the Algerian Government had tried Zaoui in absentia for terrorism, convicted him and imposed the death sentence. But it had never been proven that he was responsible for any terrorist acts, Dr Buchanan said. "Certainly not to my satisfaction. Those photos were entirely too grainy to be 100 percent sure it was him..." "There was no proven complicity ... He is tarred by his association with the GIA when there is no proof he committed any terrorist acts." "Besides, the witnesses are all dead, ain't they?" The United States Government had virtually labelled members of non-government Muslim groups as terrorists but it could be argued in Zaoui's case that he was a freedom fighter trying to restore democracy to Algeria. "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, after all." Most people wouldn't describe what GAI wants as the restoration of democracy. Not even the people who belong to GAI, in fact... "My impression is he would not be a threat here and has basically sought refuge from his hell of having a death squad on his trail." "If I'm wrong, it probably won't be me who ends up dead, probably not even anybody I know." Zaoui was a democratically elected member of the Algerian Islamic Front for Salvation (FIS) in December 1991, but the new Government was overthrown in a military coup in January 1992. Because it was chock full of murderous bastards like him... Clive Williams, director of terrorism studies at the Australian National University, said it was possible Zaoui had been wrongly accused of terrorism. It's possible the earth is flat, too. They could be lying to us... The head of the FIS, Dr Mojurad Dhina, told the Herald from Switzerland yesterday that Zaoui was not a terrorist or linked to any crime. He deserved political asylum. "No, of course he's not a terrorist. None of us are..." Dr Dhina said the terrorist rumours were triggered by the Algerian secret services. "Y'see, they're conspiring against us..." Unless deported to Malaysia - his last port of embarkation - Zaoui will appear in court next month after his 28-day detention warrant expires. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-12-17 |
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