146:, Police Commissioner Howard Broad commented that "he did not believe an inquiry is needed into allegations police have been spying on peaceful protest groups and defended the use of informants, saying they were used for a range of inquiries including murder." Broad stated that "police were not targeting peaceful protesters but if they were alerted to the possibility of violent action or vandalism, they acted." He also said that "SIG was intended to assess threats from individuals who may or may not be members of groups."
155:
potential cases of
Islamic extremism, to the detriment of efforts to combat right wing terrorism. The report noted that the NSIT had ignored recommendations to better integrate itself into police districts, and had failed to standardise a process of following up leads. The NSIT was also criticised by ethnic, Pacific and iwi liaison officers for undermining community trust in the police.
91:. A 2015 review recommended that a "New Zealand Police national prevention coordinator" be hired to better integrate the NSIT into districts, but this review was ignored until after March 15, 2019. 3 out of 4 NSIT groups had an embedded intelligence analyst, with the Christchurch group only gaining one after March 15.
66:(GCSB). The group reportedly has teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. An intelligence unit and a special tactics group was formed by police in 2002 to look into terrorism, at the same time as the SIS budget increased markedly and when Jon White was made Assistant Commissioner of Counter Terrorism.
123:
Officers involved in the group include
Detective Peter and Detective Senior Sergeant John, both named in connection with the G incident. The Sunday Star Times reported, at the time the G scandal broke, that Detective Peter 'moved to New Zealand in 1973 from the London Metropolitan Police and was a
115:
The
National Security Investigations Team, then known as the Special Investigations group, found itself facing public scrutiny for the first time following the revelation in December 2008 that Christchurch man Rob Gilchrist had been spying for SIG officers on individuals and organisations including
158:
The royal inquiry was itself criticised in the New
Zealand media for not going far enough in its criticisms of government and police organisations, and ultimately concluding that no organisation was at fault or had breached standards. The NSIT's focus on Islamic terrorism was also blamed on former
154:
The
National Security Investigations Team was heavily criticised in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019. Conclusions from the report noted that the NSIT had placed undue emphasis on policing Muslim communities in order to intervene in
130:
SIG has been criticised for spying on peaceful protest and community organisations, wasting resources, and using "Stasi tactics and covert political operations that undermine democracy" (Keith Locke, Green Party police spokesperson). The group has also been criticised for "dangling money, public
119:
News that SIG existed first emerged in public media in
December 2008, when it was reported that an exposed SIG spy had spied on political parties and organisations involved in peaceful, environmental, animal and human rights activities. Subsequent articles reported that SIG had been receiving
86:
At the time, the team's role included training regular officers to spot and intervene in cases of violent extremism, as well as drawing on regular police resources to conduct investigations. However other police staff described the NSIT as operating in an isolated manner, not integrated into
49:
Funding for the group was announced in 2004 and the group was formed in 2005. The formation of a central
Strategic Intelligence Unit was approved by the New Zealand government as early as January 2002. The group was formed 'to focus on terrorism threats to national security' in response to
134:
On 22 December 2008 the
Maritime Union of New Zealand announced it had received legal advice and would seek further action. The union wants to know what information is held by police about itself. Others who have already received SIG information about themselves include pacifist
74:
In 2016, the SIG was restructured and renamed the
National Security Investigations Team, with an additional group added. Public information on the team under its new name was first released as part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the
102:. This also involved following leads from regular police, of which there were a greater number relating to Muslim communities than to right wing extremism, however the NSIT did not have standardised criteria for following leads.
131:
money, in front of protest group members, such as G, in an attempt to them into spies" (Alan
Liefting, Coalition spokesperson), and for having "gone well outside its mandate" (Andrew Little, EPMU president).
94:
The NSIT describes itself as "threat agnostic," meaning the ideology behind threats does not factor into risk assessments. However prior to March 15, 2019, the NSIT was mainly focused on combatting
83:
fell under the remit of the NSIT, however the team's workload was considered too high, making early intervention and risk reduction difficult, and creating inconsistent outcomes.
127:
Within days of details covering SIG activities being released into mainstream media in December 2008, New Zealanders began calling for a commission of enquiry into the group.
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320:
494:
63:
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459:
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member of the Armed Offenders Squad and then Special Tactics Group from 1975 to 1999, when he appears to have moved into police intelligence work'.
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information on a variety of organisations including unions, contrary to a prior claim that only individuals were targeted.
76:
211:
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51:
55:
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Greenpeace, Iraq war protestors, student associations, animal rights and climate change campaigners.
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Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019
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government group that focuses on threats to national security, formed in response to the
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393:
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25:
139:, whose SIG files were released during a Scoop investigation in December 2008.
460:"Intelligence agencies' failures highlighted but no accountability sought"
54:. SIG appears to be operated by New Zealand police in connection with the
99:
98:
through relationships with ethnic liaison officers, and contact with
402:, MU Press Release, 22 December 2008, retrieved 30 December 2008.
79:. The inquiry revealed that the responsibility for investigating
164:
36:, with four NSIT teams in regional centres around the country.
420:, Selwyn Manning, 19 December 2008, retrieved 30 December 2008.
303:, Joseph Barratt, 26 October 2008, retrieved 30 December 2008.
262:
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187:"Information related to the "Special Investigations Group""
77:
Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019
350:"Spy's targets contradict 'individuals only' claim"
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231:
229:
413:State Of It: Police SIG Unit Wasted On Tag-Busting
296:Police Terror Boss has Activist Harassment History
395:Maritime Union to pursue further action over spy
384:, 21 December 2008, retrieved 30 December 2008.
8:
70:As the National Security Investigations Team
167:around the time of the team's restructure.
432:"Police spying inquiry not needed - Broad"
430:NZPA and Lincoln Tan (15 December 2008).
64:Government Communications Security Bureau
321:"Part 8. Chapter 6. New Zealand Police"
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269:"Chief of police called in over spies"
18:National Security Investigations Team
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348:Gower, Patrick (19 December 2008).
45:As the Special Investigation Group
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495:New Zealand intelligence agencies
267:Tan, Lincoln (15 December 2008).
237:"Who the police were spying on"
212:"Who the police were spying on"
163:, who emphasised the threat of
377:Call for commission of enquiry
111:Rob Gilchrist spying incidents
52:September 11 terrorist attacks
1:
60:Security Intelligence Service
22:Special Investigation Group
511:
150:Christchurch terror attack
24:(SIG) prior to 2016, is a
56:New Zealand Defence Force
437:The New Zealand Herald
355:The New Zealand Herald
274:The New Zealand Herald
242:The Sunday Star-Times
20:(NSIT), known as the
137:Harmeet Singh Sooden
81:right-wing terrorism
32:. It is part of the
30:September 11 attacks
490:New Zealand Police
458:Pennington, Phil.
245:. 13 December 2008
214:. 13 December 2008
144:New Zealand Herald
34:New Zealand Police
464:Radio New Zealand
142:According to the
96:islamic terrorism
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159:Prime Minister
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467:. Retrieved
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216:. Retrieved
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161:Sir John Key
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443:13 November
361:13 November
280:13 November
249:13 November
106:Controversy
26:New Zealand
484:Categories
382:NewstalkZB
191:FYI.org.nz
171:References
62:(SIS) and
469:20 August
330:20 August
218:28 August
196:20 August
100:mosques
40:History
418:Scoop
400:Scoop
301:Scoop
471:2021
445:2011
363:2011
332:2021
282:2011
251:2011
220:2014
198:2021
165:ISIL
16:The
486::
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