PageLink-Intel - NZSIS - Security Intelligence Services

NZSIS NEW ZEALAND 2015 budget:  NZ$50.6 million New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS or SIS) See also:  Foreign intel - GCSB - here Hon Christopher Finlayson, Attorney-General- here civilian intel and security org based Wellington branches Auckland & Christchurch MAIN DOMESTIC & COUNTER-INTEL cooperates with several other Western intel agencies {see UKUSA Agreement} - incl. Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) British MI5 Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Head:  Director of Security Oversight: Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Intelligence and Security Committee Reports to:  a Cabinet minister with responsibility for intelligence (traditionally the Prime Minister) est. 1956 response Petrov Affair (Russia spy activities) Modelled on British MI5 no law enforcement / but limited powers to intercept communications and search residences purpose:  advisory provides info on threats to national security or national interests internal security measures > responsible for performing checks on govt employees who require security clearance investigates threats to security cooperates w/ other agencies within govt / so intel it collects is actioned and threats which have been identified are disrupted collects foreign intel provides range of protective security advice and services to govt 2007 - reportedly sought organised crime fighting role expansion --- involved in a number of public incidents and controversies eg. list of 20 "subversives" / apartheid protesters - rugby (1980s) failed to detect French DGSE op -  bombed Greenpeace vessel, Rainbow Warrior /  killing a photographer 2008 - Christchurch, Rob Gilchrist spying on peace organisations and individuals  including Greenpeace, Iraq war protestors, animal rights and climate change campaigners. Rob Gilchrist confessed to the allegations after his then partner, Rochelle Rees (Labour party activist & animal rights campaigner). emails exchanged b/w Gilchrist and Special Investigation Group (SIG) officers (SIG has a connection with the SIS). Gilchrist said to have: passed on info to SIG officers been paid up to $600 a week by police for spying on NZ citizens SIG contacts Detective Peter Gilroy Detective Senior Sergeant John Sjoberg Gilchrist reported to have been spying for NZ police for at least 10 years. Gilchrist said he was offered money by  Thomson Clark Investigations  to spy on the Save Happy Valley Coalition, an environmental group. NOTE By implication, NZ political parties were spied on  under guise of 'terrorism threats to national security'. 2009:  SIS - asking university staff to report their colleagues or students if they were behaving suspiciously - said it was part of an effort to prevent the spread of 'weapons of mass destruction.' 2011:  SIS involved in investigation of Israeli backpackers.  Israelis were alleged to have been Mossad agents attempting. Mossad allegedly seeking toinfiltrate NZ govt computer databases and steal sensitive info.   Subsequent investigation reportedly concluded:  no evidence of Mossad. --- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Security_Intelligence_Service ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- 2014 Reforms enable NZSIS: ꕤ. to monitor any terrorist suspects for 24 hours without a warrant. [here] ꕤ. to conduct video surveillance on private property in cases of suspected terrorism. [here] ꕤ

ANDREA VANCE - 'NZ spies want greater powers'

NZ spies want greater powers ANDREA VANCE Last updated 12:18, August 13 2015 Grapes grow in a vineyard around the GSCB monitoring station in the Waihopai Valley near Blenheim. STEPHEN RUSSELL/FAIRFAX MEDIA Grapes grow in a vineyard around the GSCB monitoring station in the Waihopai Valley near Blenheim. The release of a "hit list" by Islamic State with a Kiwi's name on it comes as New Zealand's spy agencies demand greater surveillance powers. Emergency anti-terror laws passed last year were promoted as measures to stop foreign fighters leaving for conflicts in Syria and Iraq. However, they also allowed the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) to monitor any terrorist suspects for 24 hours without a warrant. Additionally the reforms permitted the spy agency to conduct video surveillance on private property in cases of suspected terrorism. The new laws came on the back of expanded powers handed to the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in 2013. Caught out illegally spying on Kiwis, the foreign agency was now sanctioned to use its technology and agents to carry out surveillance on behalf of the police, SIS and Defence Force. Terrorism suppression legislation, passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, designated terrorist groups and created offences around financing and allowed for the freezing of assets. It also incorporated international obligations, establishing offences relating to recruiting, bombing and handling explosives. It also meant planning a terrorist act, or making a "credible" threat, was illegal even if it was not carried out. Five years later, the law was amended and now allowed for the Prime Minister to designate which groups were considered terrorists, where previously it was the role of the high court. A review of that legislation was abandoned by the Government in 2012. Interception warrants - for monitoring communications - could be done under a range of laws such as the SIS and GCSB Acts and the International Terrorism (Emergency Powers) Act 1987. But security services were pushing for more, arguing current laws were outdated and did not keep pace with technology. Canada, Australia and the UK are in the process of pushing through tough anti-terror laws which they said were needed to counter jihadis. British Prime Minister David Cameron last month outlined a five-year plan to counter extremism, focused on how ideology was communicated - but critics fear it would curb freedom of speech. The GCSB legislation established a review of the security services, which was currently being carried out by former deputy prime minister Sir Michael Cullen and lawyer Dame Patsy Reddy. On Tuesday, SIS director Rebecca Kitteridge said the legislation governing her agency needed to change. SIS and GCSB minister Chris Finlayson refused to rule out expanded surveillance powers when questioned in Parliament this week. SOURCE http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/71090362/nz-spies-want-greater-powers ---------------------- ꕤ ----------------------    Foreign intel - GCSB - here Internal intel - NZSIS - here Hon Christopher Finlayson, Attorney-General- here ---------------------- COMMENT Wow, that was some interesting NZ information in the look ups. Both agencies have a record of spectacularly overstepping their bounds and unlawfully violating civil liberties, yet more power is sought. Some confusion on my part as to who is responsible.  If I understand correctly, it's John 'Teflon' Key, according to convention (Wikipedia). But it looks like responsibility for intel has maybe been hand-balled. Assume from the article that the minister responsible for both agencies is the attorney-general, Christopher Finlayson.  Did Key handball it to the attorney-general, or is Key ultimately responsible and overseeing the attorney-general? Alternatively, is this really attorney-general territory in practice? It looks like Finlayson's minister in charge of SIS (Security Intelligence Services), going by his profile.  Don't see anything re the foreign intel agency, GCSB. Freedom of speech Civil liberties are definitely on the line, if this lot's going to have a crack at controlling how ideology is communicated' expanding their already considerable powers. Everybody's freedom of speech is civil liberties are at risk - not just a select group, because anybody can become be designated a 'threat' - eg.  NZSIS designated 20 apartheid protesters of the 1980s as 'subversives' and put them on what is presumably a secret surveillance list. Edit:  GCSB - also caught spying illegally / see Kitteridge Report. For government agencies known to spy on activists, animal activists and, by implication, NZ political parties (see Gillchrist 10 years paid NZ govt spy & the NZSIS), these organisations (and the govt that controls them) ought to be kept in check, rather than awarded further powers.   They've already have proven they don't abide by existing laws.  'More' power isn't what they need. NZSIS spying on students and university staff, under the pretext of protecting New Zealanders from 'weapons of mass destruction' is hilarious.  Don't know whether the humour's in the Wikipedia entry, or if they really did use that insane excuse.  Didn't look further than the Wikipedia entry. If it's left to John Key and his government to designate 'terrorist' targets for surveillance by these agencies, the danger is that Teflon will chose on the basis of political considerations - like preservation of power.  lol Note also:  anyone who is deemed a political or like threat (as in threat to maintenance of power, cover-ups etc), is likely labelled 'terrorist'. For example, Julian Assange (WikiLeaks) was labelled 'terrorist' by the Americans ... for exposing US war crimes!   People, this is comedy gold. Instead of writing that propaganda show for the BBC, mocking the serious danger Assange is in, had those entertainment writers given even a cursory look at intelligence agencies, they'd have found themselves comedy gold.    Never going to happen.  Just as mainstream journalism seldom challenges those in power in any meaningful way, entertainment writers apparently also dare not challenge the powerful.  Like hyenas, they despicably attack the target of the powerful. --- Hey, New Zealand This Is What Happens When Intel Agencies Have Unchecked Power spying and monitoring of pipeline critics was illegal and had a "chilling" effect on Canadians' freedom of expression and freedom of association complaint against RCMP and CSIS for 'illegal' monitoring of peaceful activists government spied on these people and shared information about the activities of environmental groups with petroleum companies. MORE - here + MORE ELSEWHERE There's a Secret Hearing Into Allegations Canada Illegally Spied on Environmental Activists PS This post is a mess, but I'll let it stand as testimony to my stupidity.  lol Don't know what I was thinking.  Must have got confused by the mention of the UK implementations.   Same deal, whether it's speech or privacy issue, so it all stands. PPS If they're using the argument that "current laws were outdated and did not keep pace with technology," they're probably wanting to amp up digital surveillance in NZ, I'm guessing. ꕤ