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the autopsy which came after would find an illness which went much deeper than the Dotcom case.

That was all to come.

ONE OF THE GCSB spies who attended the Operation Debut briefing later said he was confident the targets were not citizens or permanent residents. Yes, he said, he was sent a bundle of documents after the meeting which included a draft affidavit in support of a search warrant “but it is my recollection I did not read it”. Also apparently not read, or certainly not understood, was information received by Wormald on 16 December 2011 showing Dotcom had been described as a “resident” on his last two arrivals into New Zealand.

Oblivious, McMorran sent to the GCSB on 19 December 2011 a grab-bag of personal details of the targets. It was a document packed with phone numbers, the mail proxy server, internet protocol addresses, email addresses and other unique identifiers. The title of the document listed the enclosed details as “selectors of interest” — a term which carried a greater meaning than initially indicated.

A “selector” was a unique identifying piece of information, including email and IP addresses, mobile phone numbers or other individual digital footprints created through using electronic devices like email accounts or phone services.

The request for information was received at the GCSB and the spying began the next day. Court documents later revealed what was collected — or at least hinted at the extent of the collection. The content was heavily redacted to preserve what the GCSB called “tradecraft”. But enough remained to hint at what was possible — the interception of email, internet and telephone communications. The GCSB released to the court details of its efforts tracking Dotcom and the others targeted in the operation. The first report stated:

20 December 2011
1. Dotcom instructs Ortmann to provide phone number of associate. 2. Ortmann provides details of own location (NZ 17 Dec). (Redacted) individual provides details of own location and travel plans. 3. Ortmann advised him he would see him in January. He was leaving Hong Kong.

McMorran wrote that the surveillance showing Ortmann's confirmation

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