Foreign interference rising as spies reveal three foiled terror threats in New Zealand

The incidence of other countries harassing ethnic communities, and influencing academics, government officials and media is increasing, New Zealand’s top security and intelligence officials warn.

It comes as officials revealed three examples of threats posed by people in New Zealand, including people making firearms and bomb threats at a public event and a person sympathetic to “white identity violent extremism” displaying increasingly concerning behaviour online.

Concern was also expressed about the presence of an anti-authority sentiment domestically and globally, which could ramp up as the general election approached.

Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) director-general Andrew Hampton and Security Intelligence Service (SIS) acting director-general Phil McKee fronted questions from senior MPs including Prime Minister Chris Hipkins for the 2021/22 annual review of the GCSB and SIS.

McKee acknowledged the “increase in foreign interference threats” - defined as “actions by a state that have the intention to influence, disrupt, or subvert our national interest by covert, corruptive, deceptive or threatening means”.

The most “insidious” threat examples concerned “harassment of ethnic communities in New Zealand who speak out against the actions of a foreign government”.

“There are examples where information is collected on them and used to threaten whānau members in their home country,” McKee said.

McKee also referenced interference attempts directed at university academics, government officials and the media.

He expressed the need to make New Zealanders more aware of interference attempts as a way to limit their impact, citing how a security threat environment report would be published in the coming weeks.

National deputy leader Nicola Willis was among the senior MPs questioning officials from spy agencies. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In response to a question from National deputy leader Nicola Willis, McKee said a theme of “anti-authority” was playing out globally and later acknowledged its presence when speaking to the press.

“We’ve certainly seen a drop off since the Parliament protest, but there is still an underpinning amount of noise and concern and commentary particularly online on this topic.”

He accepted that feeling could ramp up as the general election on October 14 neared.

Hampton, speaking to the committee, referenced three examples of how agencies had cooperated to nullify potential domestic threats to other New Zealanders.

They included a person making bomb threats last year with “an implied ideological motivation”, another “New Zealand-based adherent to white identity violent extremism” displaying concerning online behaviour, and another person claiming to be a white identity extremist making threats to use firearms and explosives at a public event.

“In all three operations, the GCSB was able to combine lead info from other agencies with our unique technical capabilities to help identify the individuals who had each taken great care to anonymise themselves online,” he said.

Hampton’s opening comments included a reference to an “operationally demanding” year responding to “unprecedented challenges”.

“We have in the past year, witnessed geostrategic competition intensifying right around the world, including in our Pacific region while serious cyber incidents continue to threaten New Zealand organisations.”

New Zealand’s interests were being challenged by that rise in competition as more countries were “readily pursuing objectives in ways that run contrary to the international rules-based order, including through malicious cyber means”,” Hampton said.

Hampton also provided an update on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying intense confrontation persisted across large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine.

Russia had reportedly made small gains in recent weeks, but had also suffered significant casualties.

Hampton said the war was likely to have limited the number of cyber attacks targeting New Zealand, but they were also becoming more sophisticated and impactful.

“It is likely that a proportion of the malicious actors whose activities typically impact on New Zealand organisations have turned their attention elsewhere as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”