One of the weapons used in the raid was a Colt Commando rifle
Video After The Jump
Footage from the raid on Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom's New Zealand home has finally been released and it's adding even more controversy to a case that is not going smoothly for U.S. authorities.
The raid was carried out on January 20, 2012 by New Zealand's Elite Special Tactics Group in response to U.S. charges of criminal copyright infringement. The team used two helicopters, four police vehicles, police dogs and officers armed with semi-automatic Colt Commando 5.56 guns according to Business Insider.com.
Dotcom was at home with his pregnant wife, three children, some guests and staff when the raid occurred.
Kim Dotcom
Dotcom alleges he was punched in the face, kicked and had his hand stepped on when he was taken into custody. Officers deny his claim.
A New Zealand judge has ruled that police warrants used to seize computer hard drives from Dotcom's mansion weren't legally valid and that New Zealand authorities also acted unlawfully by handing digital copies to the FBI.
Since the time of the raid Dotcom has been granted bail, produced two songs and won a series of major hearings against the United States in court according to Webpronews.
With their case against Dotcom running out of steam the feds have turned their attention towards Swizz Beatz as a possible way to try their case against Megaupload in the U.S. Swizz had been listed as the company's CEO.
United States Attorney Neil MacBride named Swizz in a July 2012 filing.
“After Defendant Dotcom became Defendant Megaupload’s Chief Innovation Officer, the company appears to have employed at least two Chief Executive Officers in the United States: first David Robb and then Kasseem David Dean (also known as Swizz Beatz),” the filing reads. MacBridge also alleges that Beatz represented Megaupload in front of the United States Trade Representative in December, 2011, after it was accused of allowing piracy.
Swizz responded by saying he would never be a part of an organization that took anything away from artists.
“I’m a fan of music. I’m a fan of people that work hard. I would never be a part of anything that’s taking from an artist when I fight so hard to give so much to the artists,” Swizz Beatz said in an interview with AlLindstrom.com. "I was giving the artists 90% of they sh*t. Sometimes when something is so powerful and people can’t control it that type of attack happens. You see that happen with multiple things in life. Things that are so powerful, they get shut down unexplainably.”
Check out the footage of the raid on Kim Dotcom's home below.
Follow Me
 |
}
Comments