SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE (SEPQ)

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 WELLINGTON 000684

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPT FOR DS/IP/ITA, DS/IP/EAP, CANBERRA FOR RSO,

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015
TAGS: PTER ASEC NZ
SUBJECT: SECURITY ENVIRONMENT PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE (SEPQ)
FOR NEW ZEALAND

REF: A. STATE 162859

B. WELLINGTON 507

C. WELLINGTON 499

D. WELLINGTON 231

E. 04 WELLINGTON 1047

F. 04 WELLINGTON 975

G. 04 WELLINGTON 934

Classified By: FRANCIS X. CARROLL JR., ARSO, REASON 1.4 (B)(C)(D)

SUMMARY: (SBU) On September 7, 2005, Embassy Wellington's
Emergency Action Committee (EAC) reviewed Post's current
security environment as it relates to Terrorism and Political
Violence as requested in ref. A. Responses are keyed to the
three main sections of the questionnaire. END SUMMARY

POLITICAL VIOLENCE

1.(SBU) Demonstrations:


A. The EAC has agreed that New Zealand has several ethnic or
religious communities capable of carrying out significant
anti-American demonstrations; however, none are likely to do
so at this time.


B. In the last 12 months Embassy Wellington and Consulate
Auckland have experienced a combined total of six
anti-American demonstrations. (refs B through G).


C. The anti-American demonstrations have taken place in front
of Embassy Wellington and Consulate Auckland.


D. The average size of the anti-American demonstrations is
approximately 40-50 individuals.


E. With the exception of two demonstrations, the
anti-American protests have been triggered by U.S. foreign
policy initiatives, namely Iraq. The two exceptions involved
the local Ethiopian community who wanted to highlight the
civil unrest in Ethiopia following the elections recently
held there.


F. Peaceful


G. N/A


H. N/A


I. Within the last 12 months there have been several
anti-government demonstrations in New Zealand of note to
include environmental, indigenous Maori and civil union
issues.


J. No


K. Approximately 500


L. Peaceful


M. N/A


2. (SBU) MACRO CONFLICT CONDITIONS


A. No


B. N/A


C. N/A


D. N/A


3. (S/NF) HOST COUNTRY CAPABILITIES


A. Yes.


B. Yes. The New Zealand Police continue to receive regular
training in several areas of law enforcement. In recent
years, the New Zealand Police have received specific drug
related training from the DEA. In February 2005, the New
Zealand Police hosted members of the DEA on a cannabis
eradication operation in New Zealand's North Island. Various
U.S. federal law enforcement agencies continue to visit New
Zealand on a regular basis to provide training to various New
Zealand Government agencies. Historically, the training has
included topics such as illegal drugs, forgery, counterfeit
currency, organized crime, counter-terrorism, alien smuggling
as well as other law enforcement related topics. The training
has been very effective and continues to benefit the U.S.-
New Zealand relationship in the area of law enforcement.


C. No.


D. Yes. The New Zealand Special Intelligence Service (NZSIS)
is a professional organization, whose size and budget have
increased by 50% since 9-11. NZSIS' ability to deter
terrorism continues to improve; however, New Zealand's long,
unguarded coastline and number of major shipping ports makes
initial detection of terrorists entering the country
challenging.


E. Yes


F. No. The NZSIS is currently in the process of pursuing
leads involving potential terrorism issues.

G. Yes

H. Overall security at New Zealand's Auckland International
Airport is assessed as good/average. However, security at
regional airports that provide domestic service throughout
New Zealand is assessed as poor. It is assessed as poor
because some regional airports in New Zealand do not/not
screen passengers or baggage prior to boarding the aircraft.


I. Effective


J. Ineffective. New Zealand is approximately 1,800 miles
from the nearest body of land (Australia),and has
approximately 9,403 miles of exposed coastline. Consequently,
the Border Patrol Forces can not adequately cover this large
area. The New Zealand Defense Force has a P-3 Orion maritime
surveillance aircraft that assists in patrolling the coast
and territorial waters; however, even this is insufficient.
With that said, the EAC agreed the threat to New Zealand's
borders remains low.

INDIGENOUS TERRORISM


4. (SBU) Anti-American Terrorist Groups


A. No


B. N/A


C. No


D. N/A


E. No


F. No


G. N/A


H. N/A


5. (SBU) Other Indigenous Terrorist Groups


A. No


B. N/A


C. No


D. N/A


E. N/A


6. (S/NF) Transnational Terrorism


A. The New Zealand Government has been investigating various
individuals who may have connections to terrorist
organizations such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan
(LTTE),Ansar Al-Islam, and Al-Qa'ida. The New Zealand
Government's investigation are ongoing with an emphasis on
determining the nature of the relationship between certain
individuals and terrorist organizations. Most investigations
do not involve law enforcement agencies at this time because
to date there has been no indication of any criminal
behavior. However, NZSIS and the New Zealand Police are
cooperating on a joint investigation involving
Algerian/Moroccan credit card fraud for links to terrorism.


B. The EAC has no information to indicate a terrorist cell is
operating in New Zealand. The investigation involves
individuals, and the extent of their involvement in terrorist
organizations is unknown.


C. No


D. No

E. New Zealand has approximately 50,000 Muslims, including
over 10,000 Somalis, and approximately 708 indigenous Maori
Muslim converts. The New Zealand Police recently provided
information indicating some New Zealand Muslims have fought
in Afghanistan, Bosnia and possibly Chechnya. The police are
also looking at some New Zealand citizens/residents who may
have traveled to the Middle East including Iraq. A specific
example of such a person involves an individual known only as
"Hamam". This individual is an Afghan veteran and a surgeon
from Egypt. He is currently living in Auckland on state
benefits and refuses to become employed. He stays in a local
Mosque and espouses anti-Western views. He is being monitored
by the New Zealand Police. The EAC agreed that some members
of New Zealand's Muslim community may be sympathetic to
terrorist organizations around the world.


F. According to the NZSIS, foreign intelligence services
supporting international terrorism are not represented in New
Zealand. However, New Zealand does have an Iranian Embassy
located in Wellington. The EAC agreed that it is unlikely
that the Iranian Embassy and its personnel would be involved
in anti-American activities here. The Iranian Embassy has
three diplomatic officials who are being watched by the New
Zealand Government. To date, there has been no known
aggressive behavior by the Iranian Embassy.


G. Although the New Zealand government has strict gun control
laws, weapons are available and use of weapons in criminal
activities is not uncommon. Explosives and related equipment
are readily available in New Zealand's large
agricultural/farming and building sectors. The EAC believes
that a terrorist attack against U.S. interests in New Zealand
is unlikely; however, determined individuals could smuggle
weapons and high explosives via one of New Zealand's major
shipping ports or via its extensive coast line.
Weapons/explosives smuggling might be facilitated through one
or more of the South Pacific Islands such as Fiji, Tonga,
Samoa, etc. With that said however, it is most likely that
any such activity would be for criminal purposes rather than
terrorism.



Burnett