VZCZCXRO1891
RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHWL #0424/01 3570319
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220319Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5590
INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1816
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5356
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0782
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 WELLINGTON 000424 
 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR STATE FOR EAP/ANP 
PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ 
FOR S/CT; RHONDA SHORE AND NCTC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV PHUM KDEM NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND: 2008 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM 
 
WELLINGTON 00000424  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Compliance with International Instruments 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶1. (U)  New Zealand attaches importance to its compliance with 
international counterterrorism instruments.  It has ratified 12 of 
the 16 international instruments and maintains up-to-date reporting 
to the United Nations (UN).  New Zealand uses the UN Global 
Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a key reference point. 
 
¶2. (U)  The 2002 Terrorism Suppression Act was amended in 2007 to 
create a generic offence for committing a terrorist act and 
streamline the process for designating terrorists (by law, New 
Zealand automatically lists those terrorist individuals and entities 
designated by UN Security Council's 1267 Committee).  To date, New 
Zealand has designated 1277 United Nations listed terrorist 
entities.  New Zealand has yet to designate any individuals or 
entities pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (which 
imposes obligations on members' states to criminalize global 
terrorist activities). 
 
Terrorist Funding Investigation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U)  Under the Financial Transaction Reporting Act 1996, 
financial institutions (note: which includes banks, money exchanges 
and casinos etc) are required to report transactions suspected of 
being linked to money laundering or proceeds of crime enforcement to 
the New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit (FUI) based at 
Police National Headquarters in Wellington.  In the year to June 30 
2008, the FIU processed 1,848 Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) 
and referred 485 of these to various law enforcement agencies and 
units for investigations.  Over the same period, the FIU did not 
receive any Suspicious Property Reports pursuant to the 2002 
Terrorism Suppression Act. 
 
Combating Nuclear Terrorism 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U)  New Zealand endorsed The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear 
Terrorism (GICNT) in November 2007 and has attended one major 
meeting, the June 2008 Political Meeting.  New Zealand is presently 
working on planned contributions to the GICNT, which include: 
hosting a workshop for Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in April/May 
2009 on security and safety of radiological material; increasing the 
regular contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency's 
Nuclear Security Fund; and exploring possibilities for a modest 
contribution to nuclear and radiological security in Southeast Asia. 
 New Zealand is also looking into hosting a tabletop exercise for 
local agencies in 2009 with the aim of ensuring appropriate systems 
are in place to respond to the event of a nuclear/radiological 
terrorist event in New Zealand. 
 
¶5. (U)  New Zealand has not ratified the Nuclear Terrorism 
Convention and the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical 
Protection of Nuclear Material.  Nevertheless, the new offences 
obliged by the two treaties - concerning the use of radioactive 
material and radioactive devices - were added to the Terrorism 
Suppression Act in 2007. 
 
NZ Support in Afghanistan 
------------------------- 
¶6. (U)  New Zealand remained active in Operation Enduring Freedom in 
Afghanistan, working with coalition partners in undertaking Maritime 
Security Operations.  New Zealand commands the Provincial 
Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan's Bamyan Province, 
currently as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force 
(ISAF).  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is mandated up to 140 
personnel as part of NZ Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZ PRT) in 
Afghanistan.  From February 25-26, Habiba Sarabi, the governor of 
Bamyan province, was in Wellington where she met with government 
officials to discuss the need for more troops.  This was followed by 
an announcement from the government that the NZ PRT will be extended 
until September 2009.  In October, 132 NZDF personnel left to serve 
in Bamyan and Bagram.  This 13th rotation will remain in Afghanistan 
for six months.  Three New Zealand Police are based in Bamyan 
working with the European Police Mission in Afghanistan).  At the 
Paris Conference in June, New Zealand pledged USD11 million in aid 
to 2012. 
¶7. (U)  In September, a 172 strong contingent from the NZDF's 2/1st 
Infantry Battalion travelled to Germany to participate in Exercise 
Cooperative Spirit,  a multinational exercise intended to test and 
improve interoperability and strengthen ties amongst American, 
British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Armies. 
 
WELLINGTON 00000424  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Addressing Security in the Pacific 
---------------------------------- 
¶8. (U)  New Zealand assists PICs' understanding of, and compliance 
with, the international counterterrorism agenda.  Strong focus is 
given to legislative and operational capacity-building projects many 
of which are funded through the Pacific Security Fund, an 
interagency pool of money to advance or protect New Zealand's 
security interests by reducing risks from threats arising in or 
operating through PICs. 
¶9. (U)  In previous years New Zealand has provided assistance to 
PICs in meeting their UN reporting obligations pursuant to UN 
Security Council Resolutions 1267, 1373, and 1540.  In 2008, New 
Zealand has been actively engaged in Counterterrorism and security 
related projects with PICs but none specifically related to their UN 
reporting obligations.  New Zealand instead preferred to focus on 
providing capacity building assistance and support for the 
development of Counterterrorism legislation among PICs.  New Zealand 
convenes and chairs the annual Pacific Islands Forum Working Group 
on Counter-Terrorism (WGCT) which provides an opportunity for PICs 
to receive up-to-date information on the international 
counter-terrorism regime and to coordinate technical assistance 
projects to assist their compliance with UN Security Council 
reporting obligations.  At the June 2008 meeting of the WGCT, New 
Zealand made an offer to PICs to provide assistance with UN 
reporting. 
 
Promoting Counterterrorism and Dialogue in Asia 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶10. (U)  New Zealand also promotes counter-terrorism capacity 
building and a range of and regional security initiatives through 
the Asia Security Fund.  The Fund supports projects implemented by a 
range of partners, including regional counter-terrorism centers such 
as the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation in Indonesia 
and the South East Asia Regional Centre for Counter Terrorism in 
Malaysia. 
 
¶11. (U)  New Zealand's counter-terrorism efforts are reinforced by 
its engagement in interfaith and inter-cultural initiatives aimed at 
countering radicalization and terrorist recruitment. New Zealand 
(with Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines) co-sponsors the 
Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue.  The Dialogue involves 
religious and community leaders from 15 countries from South East 
Asia and the Pacific and aims to foster tolerance, reinforce 
moderate religious views and isolate religious extremism.  New 
Zealand hosted the third Dialogue at Waitangi, New Zealand in May 
¶2007.  New Zealand also supports the UN-led Alliance of 
Civilisations (AOC) initiative which has developed a framework for 
practical action to bridge divides and improve relations between 
faiths, societies and cultures, particularly between Islam and the 
West.  New Zealand convened a Symposium in May 2007 to focus 
regional attention on the AOC Report's recommendations in the four 
"fields of action" - education, youth, media and migration. 
 
Engagement in the PSI 
--------------------- 
¶12. (U)  New Zealand has participated in the Proliferation Security 
Initiative (PSI) since 2004, and is a member of the Operational 
Experts Group (OEG).  In February, New Zealand attended and 
presented at the London OEG meeting and the Gulf/Levant Outreach 
Workshop.  In May, New Zealand officials attended and presented at 
5th Anniversary Senior Level Meeting and Outreach Workshop in 
Washington.  In September, New Zealand sent officials to present at 
Paris OEG meeting.  New Zealand officials also gave a PSI 
presentation to the Asian Senior Officials Talks on Proliferation in 
Tokyo in April.  In June, it gave a PSI presentation to Pacific 
Islands Forum Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and raised PSI at 
the Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Meeting in Suva.  New 
Zealand's bilateral PSI outreach in 2008 included to Indonesia (Feb 
and March), Laos (March and November), Chile (March), Brazil 
(March), Thailand (April), Cambodia (April), Egypt (April), Republic 
of Korea (April), and several Pacific Island countries - Vanuatu, 
Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa (August - November). 
¶13. (U)  From September 13-19, the New Zealand Customs Service 
hosted an international PSI exercise (Exercise MARU) in Auckland for 
delegates from 27 countries.  MARU had a strong customs and law 
enforcement focus.  It consisted of several phases, including live 
exercises dealing with maritime interception and interdiction, port 
search demonstrations, and a tabletop exercise. 
 
Effects of 2007 Police Raids Continue 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
WELLINGTON 00000424  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶14. (U)  On October 15, 2007, New Zealand police arrested 17 people 
and seized a number of weapons, including semi-automatic weapons and 
petrol bombs, during a series of raids throughout the country and 
referred evidence against 12 of the 17 people for additional 
possible prosecution under the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA), the 
first time the Act had been invoked since it became law in 2002. 
Solicitor-General Dr. David Collins declined TSA prosecution but 
nonetheless prosecuted the arrestees under the Firearms Act.  On 
October 17 2008, one of the 17 initially arrested in the October 15 
raids, Rongomai Pero Bailey (aka) Simon Bailey, was acquitted of all 
firearms charges because of insufficient evidence.   The 16 
remaining arrestees, all out on bail, have their next court date on 
February 17, 2009.  All have been excused from appearing in court 
provided they are represented by a lawyer. 
 
¶15. (U)  In April 2008, the Solicitor-General Collins took contempt 
of court proceedings against Fairfax Media and Dominion Post 
newspaper Editor Tim Pankhurst, for publishing 13 extracts in 
November 2007 from conversations recorded during police surveillance 
of people suspected of terrorism.  The matter is still before the 
courts. 
 
Funding Sought for Enhanced In-Flight Security 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶16. (U)  In December, the NZ Police made a request to the new Police 
Minister, Judith Collins, for funding to enable officers of the 
elite Special Tactics Group (STG) to provide covert in-flight 
security on 2.5 percent of all flights to or over the United States. 
 The request followed the passage the 2007 Aviation Security 
Legislation Bill which allowed armed police on flights to meet 
international aviation security standards.  The Police do not 
discuss whether members of the STG, established after the September 
11 2001 attacks, currently operate on flights.  However, the 
Ministry of Transport, responsible for the international air marshal 
arrangements, stated that no security officers had been used on 
flights.  The Ministry is current conducting a review of domestic 
flight security after an alleged attempted hijacking of a small 
commuter flight in February, in which two pilots received minor 
injuries. 
First Hijack Attempt in New Zealand History Fails 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶17. (U)  In February, Somalia-born Asha Ali Abdille, gained entry to 
the cockpit of an Eagle Air Jetstream J32 domestic flight.  The 
33-year old woman was armed with a knife and demanded that the 
pilots take the plane - which was only flying the short trip from 
Blenheim to Christchurch - to Australia.  She also allegedly made 
bomb threats.  The cockpit crew both suffered injuries in the 
confrontation to overpower the woman.  One pilot received knife cuts 
to his hands and the other a foot injury.  Despite the altercation, 
both pilots were able to safely land the aircraft at Christchurch 
airport where the assailant was arrested by waiting police.  All 
seven passengers were unharmed.  The alleged hijacker is in custody 
and has been committed to trial in 2009.  She faces a charge of 
hijacking, taking an offensive weapon onto an aircraft, and four 
charges of wounding or injuring with reckless disregard for safety. 
 
Embassy Wellington Contact 
-------------------------- 
 
¶18. (U)  Embassy Wellington's point of contact is Political-Economic 
Counselor Peggy McKean -  McKeanMB@state.gov ; +64 4 462 6063. 
 
KEEGAN