17 October 2002 Media Statement

English desperate over Bali attack

Prime Minister Helen Clark today dismissed the Leader of the Opposition’s assertions about the Bali bombing as the desperate tactics of a leader under siege trying to get a headline.

“As has been said ad nauseum by the United States itself, it had no specific information about a terrorist attack on Bali at that time. If it had such information, it would have issued a warning.

“As I said in the House yesterday, you cannot issue warnings unless you have information. Like the United States, Australia and all other countries with nationals affected by this tragedy, New Zealand had no information on which to base a specific warning.

“I can also say that New Zealand has been assured by its close intelligence partners that any information that they have on terrorism which might impact on our interests is made available to us.

“Mr English’s attempts to make political capital out of this tragedy will be widely condemned by all those who find this kind of politicking distasteful in the extreme,” Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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