China, Russia and Iran are engaged in foreign interference in New Zealand, intelligence agency says
New Zealand’s domestic intelligence agency says that China, Iran and Russia are engaged in foreign interference in New Zealand
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — China, Iran and Russia are engaged in foreign interference in New Zealand, the nation's domestic intelligence agency said Friday after making its threat assessment report public for the first time.
In the report, Director-General of Security Andrew Hampton said the Security Intelligence Service sees enormous value in sharing more of its insights publicly.
The agency had previously taken a secretive approach. It decided to change course after it and other agencies were criticized for focusing too much on the perceived threat from Islamic extremism and being blindsided when a white supremacist shot and killed 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in 2019.
In the report, the agency says the most notable case of foreign interference is the continued targeting of the nation's diverse Chinese communities by people with links to the intelligence arm of China's ruling Communist Party.
