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