The 18 people arrested in controversial police raids in in October 2007 will be tried in the High Court.
In the High Court at Auckland, Justice Helen Winkelmann today granted an application from the Crown to transfer the case from the District Court to the High Court.
Police initially intended to charge some of those arrested under the Terrorism Suppression Act, but the Solicitor-General ruled against that and the suspects now face firearms and drugs charges.
The October 2007 raids centred around the eastern Bay of Plenty but extended to other centres. Among those arrested was Tuhoe activist Tame Iti.
Earlier this week the Crown had argued there were jurisdictional difficulties in pre-trial applications, the proceedings were complex and it was in the interests of justice for the charges to be transferred.
All but one of the accused consented to the application or indicated they would abide by the court's decision, lawyers for the 18 accused told the High Court at Auckland which heard the application earlier this week.
The case was due to be called again in the High Court on April 23 but those charged were excused from attending because they lived out of Auckland.
