Police silent on source of danger to P.M.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34008, 24 November 1975, Page 1

Police silent on source of danger to P.M.

Mystery surrounds the stringent security precautions taken by the police to ensure the safety of the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon).

It is thought their lives are endangered, but the police will not say where the threat comes from, or disclose their source of information.

The Indian-based Ananda Marga sect has been spoken of as the villian, and policemen travelling with the Prime Minister are known to be carrying photographs of some of the sect’s members. However, it has not been said officially that the sect is regarded as the main potential threat.

It is believed that an attempt on the life of Mr Rowling was to have taken place when he appeared at the Christchurch Town Hall on November 10, but that the attempt failed. It is also believed that the police received information that three men were overheard saying they would “try again” when the Prime Minister arrived in Rangiora last Saturday. Whether the police are basing their precautions on titbits and hearsay reports, or have more substantial information, has not been made clear.

It appears, however, that the Prime Minister has a lot of faith in the police force, and is reported to have said that they are the professionals, and he will let them do their jobs. Commenting on the security measures taken at Rangiora on Saturday, the Commander of the Christchurch Police District (Mr G. E. Twentyman) said that the

matter was being handled nationally, and he was in no position to discuss the possibility of any danger to Mr Rowling’s life. He said that for various good reasons he would not do so. The Commissioner of Police (Mr K. B. Burnside) was not available last evening, but the Minister of Police (Mr Connelly) said that the Commissioner was taking such action as he considered necessary to provide for the safety and security of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, based on the information available. “The Press” was told that threats to the Prime Minister had not come from any identifiable source, but that there had been a couple of fairly direct hints at danger, i It is believed that something occurred in Dunedin on Tuesday which triggered off the security measures. Members of Mr Rowling’s entourage were met by carloads of police near Waitati, not far from Dunedin. The police made an extensive search of the hotel at which Mr Rowling was staying, and some members of the official party were asked to produce identification. A member of the Ananda Marga sect, Ellen Merkel, was in Dunedin last week, but it was not confirmed that she was the cause of the alert. Miss Merkel came to New Zealand from America to

apologise to Mr Rowling for the actions of members of the sect who were imprisoned for kidnapping and conspiring to blow up the Indian Embassy in Wellington. Mr Rowling has not seen her.