PM insists CIA 'not terrorists'

Green plea to label CIA as terrorist organisation is turned down by Prime Minister Helen Clark

7 November 2002
The Prime Minister will not be approving a plea from the Greens to label the world's leading intelligence agency as a terrorist organisation.

Green MP Keith Locke is calling for the CIA to be classified a terrorist group after destroying a car carrying six al Qaeda members in Yemen.

One of them, Al Qaed al-Harithy, was one of Osama bin Laden's key lieutenants.

Mr Locke says if her Government can label Jemaah Islamiah a terrorist organisation, the CIA should also join the list.

But Prime Minister Helen Clark ruled out classifying the CIA as terrorists.

She told Parliament that New Zealand shares a close relationship with the CIA for intelligence.

© 2009 NZCity, IRN