The Urewera Four case continues to divide police and supporters of the accused after two of the four found guilty on firearms charges were handed jail terms on Thursday.

In the High Court in Auckland, Justice Rodney Hansen jailed Tame Iti and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara for two and a half years on six charges of unlawful use of a firearm.

Lawyers for Iti and Kemara both said they would be appealing the convictions and the sentences.

Urs Signer and Emily Bailey, who Justice Hansen said were followers rather than leaders, had their sentencing adjourned so home detention can be considered.

A jury earlier found them guilty of some firearms charges, not guilty of others, and was unable to decide if they participated in an organised criminal group.

The charges were laid over alleged military-style camps in the Ureweras, which police watched with hidden cameras for nearly a year.

Justice Hansen said the jury rejected defence claims that the camps were about security training or bushcraft, and said the claims were "utterly implausible".

"In effect a private militia was being established. Whatever the justification, that is a frightening prospect in our society."

Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said police had no option but to intervene once they discovered the camps.

"I make absolutely no apology for the investigation, the arrests and the prosecution of those involved," he said.

"However, I'm very sorry that innocent individuals, families and a community, were frightened and inconvenienced when search warrants were executed in October 2007."

Veteran activist John Minto said the sentences were an outrage, while Omar Hamed, one of 13 who had firearms charges dropped, said the country now had political prisoners.

"They're not Al Qaeda, they're not Osama bin Laden. We have jailed a mental health worker from Ruatoki for using firearms on Maori land."