Kim Dotcom Demands Return of Computer Data Seized by FBI

New Zealand is stuck trying to make amends for an illegal raid and seizure

Kim Dotcom wants the FBI to return the cloned computers illegally removed from New Zealand, the High Court at Auckland heard yesterday.

The option was one of those raised during a hearing on how the Crown could make good the damage caused by its unlawful search warrant used in the high-profile raid a year ago.

The issue of the cloned computers lies at the root of the court case which led to the search warrant being declared unlawful and the GCSB spying being revealed. Mr Dotcom had been seeking access to the 19 cloned items more than a year ago and the inability to get copies of the data returned led to the judicial review by the High Court of the search warrant.

The warrant was found to be too broad and lacking in detail.