During the Kim Dotcom extradition trial, the New Zealand prime minister, John Key, has attempted to distance himself from the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) intelligence agency that performed illegal spying on the Megaupload founder. However it has now been revealed that they were more than just acquaintances and according to some, even childhood friends.

While Key attempted to downplay this relationship, one Green MP, Steffan Browing, claimed that a friend of his often saw Fletcher and Key together and were fiends from their school days. “They all went to each other's places together, they all hung out together,” he said. He went on to suggest that the relationship between the two was less than healthy in the current political climate.

“That is real close and I think it's sinister … it's something you might think of third world country where there aren't checks and balances. To have that sort of relationship I find very, very disturbing, it's just not correct”.

In the wake of the news there have been calls for prime minister Key to detail his relationship with Mr Fletcher further and explain just how he is able to balance his personal and professional relationship with the man.

It also raises questions about Mr Key's truthfulness, considering he said he had no knowledge of the illegal Dotcom surveillance. Some have suggested due to the close nature of Key and Fletcher, that surely he must have had some inkling of what was going on.

KitGuru Says: This is why I love the Kim Dotcom extradition trial. Not because I think Dotcom is some folk hero (though I do think he's being used as a scapegoat) , but because of all this shady stuff that's coming to light because of it. Roll on August I say.

[Thanks NZHerald]

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