5 Sep 2013

Fiji military denies working with New Zealand SIS

1:17 pm on 5 September 2013

The Fiji military denies having worked with a New Zealand-based spy agency to raid the New Zealand home of a former Fiji government minister.

A New Zealand opposition MP, Winston Peters, claims the SIS spied on Rajesh Singh and the Fiji regime knew about it.

He says the commander of the Fiji Land Forces, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, texted Mr Singh to warn him that he was about to be raided by the SIS.

But Col Tikoitoga says he never sent any text messages, and only heard about the raid after it happened.

He says a search of Mr Singh's phone records will show there was no communication from him.

He has told Auckland's Radio Tarana that there is no information sharing between the Fiji military and the SIS.

"There is no information that we requested. It only makes sense. The New Zealand authorities were not talking to Fiji about the Fiji military in particular. Why would they now think that we work together? They've never worked with us. In fact, they don't recognise us."

The commander of the Fiji Land Forces, Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga.