Editorial: Hoping we're not targets

In light of the Paris attacks, could New Zealand be targeted by Isis?

In 2015 we are a global community, and something like the Isis attack on Paris does not have to happen in our backyard, to impact upon a Northlander.

Look at Vaughan Gunson - a Whangarei author and Northern Advocate columnist - who was 1500m down the road (safely by the way) from the Bataclan concert hall where more than 100 people were slaughtered.

Why did Isis (also known as the Islamic State and ISIL) attack Paris? In a statement claiming responsibility, Isis said the French capital was also the "capital of prostitution and vice".

France and "all nations following in its path" are "at the top of the target list for the Islamic State".

But is New Zealand a nation considered to be following in France's path?

A New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade summary describes New Zealand and France as being "likeminded" on a range of political and security issues, "and have strong ongoing defence co-operation in the Pacific and in other theatres such as Afghanistan".

Last year, New Zealand signed a Status of Forces Agreement with France "to further facilitate defence co-operation, particularly in the Pacific". In some ways, a city like Auckland is more at risk now than it has ever been.

Historically, large scale major events have been identified as potential terrorism threats. Take the 2011 Rugby World Cup for example. At the time, Prime Minister and Cabinet Department policy adviser Rob Mackie confirmed planning was under way to manage a possible terrorist attack, but said such an incident was highly unlikely. He was right. Terrorists no longer target large scale events to make their point. It is too difficult. They target events that do not traditionally register high on the risk scale for shootings or bombings. And spread the body count amongst several sites, as they did in Paris.

This modus operandi means cities such as Auckland do not need to be hosting a world event to be targeted. It would be naive to think that it won't happen here. But hopefully, our role in international affairs places us low on the Isis target list.