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The '''Special Investigation Group''' (SIG) is a New Zealand government group formed after [[11 September]] [[2001]] to focus on threats to national security. |
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==Purpose== |
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The purpose of the group is clouded in controversy, following the revelation in [[December 2008]] that Christchurch man Rob Gilchrist had been spying for SIG officers on individuals and organisations including Greenpeace, Iraq war protestors, student associations, animal rights and climate change campaigners. |
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The group was reportedly formed 'to focus on terrorism threats to national security' in response to September 11 but has been following the activities of peaceful organisations and individuals.<ref name = "Chief of police called in">[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10548070 ''Chief of police called in over spies''], ''The New Zealand Herald'', Lincoln Tan, [[15 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 17 December 2008.</ref> |
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==History== |
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The group has variously been reported as having been set up in 2004 or 2005. It seems funding for the group was announced in 2004 and the group was developed in 2005. The formation of a central 'Strategic Intelligence Unit' was approved by the New Zealand government as early as January 2002.<ref name = "who they spied on">[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaystartimes/4792188a6619.html ''Who the police were spying on''], ''Sunday Star Times'', [[14 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 17 December 2008.</ref> |
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The existence of SIG first emerged in public media in December 2008 when it was reported that an exposed |
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SIG spy had spied on political parties and organisations involved in peace oriented, environmental, animal and human rights activities. Subsequent reports showed that SIG had been receiving information on a variety of organisations including unions, contrary to a prior claim that only individuals were targeted. <ref name = "spy's targets">[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10548880 ''Spy's targets contradict 'individuals only' claim''], ''New Zealand Herald'', Patrick Gower, [[19 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> |
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SIG appears to be operated by New Zealand police in connection with the [[New Zealand Defence Force]], [[Security Intelligence Service]] (SIS) and [[Government Communications Security Bureau]] (GCSB). The group reportedly has teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. A scoop article based on a talk given by Nicky Hagar in October 2007 notes that an intelligence unit and a special tactics group was formed by police in 2002 to look into terrorism, at the same time as the SIS budget increased markedly and Jon White was made Assistant Commissioner of Counter Terrorism.<ref name = "police terror">[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0710/S00402.htm ''Police Terror Boss has Activist Harassment History''], ''Scoop'', Joseph Barratt, [[26 October]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> SIG could operate alongside private investigators, many of the protest groups spied on by Rob Gilchrist for SIG were also spied on by private investigators Thompson and Clark.<ref name = "squad spies">[http://www.stuff.co.nz/4792627a11.html ''Anti-terror squad spies on protest groups''], ''Sunday Star Times'', Nicky Hagar and Anthony Hubbard, [[14 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> |
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Officers involved in the group include Detective Peter Gilroy, who the Sunday Star Times reported 'moved to New Zealand in 1973 from the London Metropolitan Police and was a member of the Armed Offenders Squad and then Special Tactics Group from 1975-1999, when he appears to have moved into police intelligence work' and Detective Senior Sergeant John Sjoberg who was also named in connection with the Gilchrist incident.<ref name = "who they spied on"/> |
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==Known SIG targets== |
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*[[Anti-Bases Campaign]]. |
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*[[Auckland Animal Action]]. |
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*[[Beneficiaries Action Collective]]. |
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*[[Council of Trade Unions]]. |
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*[[EPMU]]. |
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*[[GE-Free New Zealand]]. |
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*[[Greenpeace]]. |
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*[[Grey Lynn Festival]].<ref name = "state of it">[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00364.htm ''State Of It: Police SIG Unit Wasted On Tag-Busting''], ''Scoop'', Selwyn Manning, [[19 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> |
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*[[Maritime Union]]. |
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*[[National Distribution Union]]. |
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*[[National Union of Public Employees]]. |
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*[[Peace Action Wellington]]. |
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*[[Peace Movement Aotearoa]]. |
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*[[People's Moratorium Enforcement Agency (GE Free)]]. |
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*[[Save Animals From Exploitation (SAFE)]]. |
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*[[Save Happy Valley]]. |
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*[[Unite]]. |
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*[[Wellington Animal Rights Network]]. |
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*[[Youth Union Movement]]. |
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*[[Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association]]. |
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==Criticism and enquiry== |
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Within days of details about SIG activities entering mainstream media, groups began calling for a commission of enquiry into SIG.<ref name = "commission of enquiry">[http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=149900 ''Call for commission of enquiry''], ''NewstalkZB'', [[21 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> |
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SIG has been criticised for spying on peaceful protest and community organisations, wasting resources, and using 'Stasi tactics and covert political operations that undermine democracy' (Keith Locke, Green Party police spokesperson). The group has also been criticised for 'dangling money, public money, in front of protest group members, such as Gilchrist, in an attempt to [turn] them into spies' (Alan Liefting, Coalition spokesperson)<ref name = "Chief of police called in"/>, and for having "gone well outside its mandate" (Andrew Little, EPMU president).<ref name = "spy's targets"/> |
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On [[22 December]] [[2008]] the Maritime Union of New Zealand announced it had received legal advice and would seek further action. The union wants to know what information is held by police about itself.<ref name = "Maritime Union pursues SIG">[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00292.htm ''Maritime Union to pursue further action over spy''], ''Scoop'', MU Press Release, [[22 December]] [[2008]], retrieved 30 December 2008.</ref> Others who have already received SIG information about themselves include pacifist Harmeet Sooden, whose SIG files were released during a Scoop investigation in December 2008.<ref name = "state of it"/> |
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== References == |
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=== Footnotes === |
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<references /> |
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[[Category:Organisations based in New Zealand]] |
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[[Category:Government of New Zealand]] |
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Revision as of 06:31, 30 December 2008
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