New Zealand spying on Pacific Island nations and Indonesia, Snowden documents reveal
New Zealand is spying on its Pacific island neighbours and sharing the intelligence with its allies, according to newly released documents.
The papers, leaked by former US National Security Authority (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden and dating back to 2009, claim New Zealand's electronic spy agency intercepted emails, mobile and fixed line phone calls.
Social media messages and other communications were also reportedly tapped in small Pacific states including Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia.
The documents allege New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) passed the information to the 'Five Eyes' intelligence network, which also includes the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.
The New Zealand Herald newspaper collaborated with US-based website The Intercept to report on the Snowden documents.
Investigative writer Nicky Hager told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat the GCSB was "hoovering up" the entire communications systems of its nearest neighbours.
"Years ago, the GCSB did some spying on the South Pacific but it would be targeting a particular person, a particular time, for a particular purpose," he said.
"What happens now is they've moved to what they call 'full take', which means taking the full lot — everything.
"In other words, everything that's carried by the big satellites that the Pacific island countries mostly rely on is grabbed en masse and made directly available to the national security agency, the US spy boss."
The GCSB is banned from spying on New Zealand citizens, unless authorised to support other agencies, but has no legal restrictions on foreign activities.
The agency refused to comment on the allegations.
New Zealand 'buying its way' into US-led alliance
New Zealand prime minister John Key also refused to comment on the disclosures, but said intelligence services had broken no laws.
According to The Intercept, the GCSB used its Waihopai base in the country's South Island to collect vast amounts of data from the region.
"It's the big powers doing it to the small countries and the vulnerable little countries, and I think they have got every reason to be really offended," he said.
"What in effect is happening is New Zealand has a public foreign policy; benevolent, on side of our neighbours, there to help 'Big Brother' or whatever you want to call it.
"But on the other hand, they're buying their way into the American alliance by being willing to sell out their neighbours. It's not a good look."
Tonga's prime minister Akilisi Pohiva told Fairfax Media that such an operation would be a "breach of trust" but added "it is happening all over the world".
"Tonga is too small to stand up to the alleged spying. China is on the radar... so what can we do?" he said.
The South Pacific region has seen military coups in Fiji, inter-communal armed strife in Solomon Islands, while France maintains military bases in Tahiti and New Caledonia.
China has also been increasing its influence and development aid to small island states.
Source: Radio Australia
