New Zealand has embraced the full dystopian, 1984 agenda.
In October, the New Zealand Service released a guide to help the public ‘turn in’ potential terrorists, including friends or family members.
Uncle Bob talking smack about the government’s COVID measures? The government guide will help you decide if you should turn him in.
Our secret service is launching an initiative to help us identify people who may have been radicalised.
The guide, titled ‘Kia mataara ki ngā tohu – Know the signs, a guide for identifying signs of violent extremism’, details dozens of indicators that a friend or family member could be planning a terror attack.
The move comes as our spy chiefs identify a new and worrying type of terrorism.
Time was when the intelligence services were never seen, never heard. But now they’re loudly proclaiming your country needs you – to keep an eye on those you know, and if necessary dob them in.
“Recognising a potential warning sign and then alerting New Zealand SIS or police could be the vital piece in the puzzle that ultimately saves lives,” NZSIS Director-General Rebecca Kitteridge said.
To that end it has published a guide to help us all identify potential terrorists in our midst.
“To pay attention and to be alert so that if they see or hear about something that seems off, that worries them and concerns them, they might have a look at this information to say does this indicate to me that this person is actually on the road to committing an attack,” Kitteridge said.
The SIS has listed around 50 signs – from obvious ones like writing on a weapon as happened in Christchurch to a person developing an ‘us versus them’ worldview.
Authorities say they are usually closely monitoring 40 to 50 potential terrorists. These people used to be motivated by their white identity or by their faith but in the past six months a third group has emerged, those motivated by politics.
“So it could be the COVID measures that the Government took, or it could be other policies that are interpreted as infringing on rights and it’s a kind of what I describe as a hot mess of ideologies and beliefs fuelled by conspiracy theories,” Kitteridge said.
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service released a statement about the 21 page guide in October.
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has today released a public guide detailing observable behaviours and activities intelligence professionals find most concerning in individuals on a pathway to violent extremism.
NZSIS Director-General of Security Rebecca Kitteridge said it is hoped the guide, titled Kia mataara ki ngā tohu – Know the signs, a guide for identifying signs of violent extremism, will raise awareness of some of the key warning signs.
“We want to help New Zealanders feel reassured that their concerns are also likely to be our concerns. We hope they will then feel confident enough to share their information with us.”
The NZSIS has reviewed all terrorism-related incidents and investigations over the past 16 years to analyse the common behaviours and activities observed.
Almost 50 indicators have been identified and grouped into categories such as mindset and ideology; associations and relationships; and research and planning.
“More than 20 percent of our counter terrorism leads come from information provided by members of the public. Such leads are increasingly vital in a world where harmful activity can be carried out anonymously and without detection.
“We know lone actors pose the most likely violent extremist threat. The public may be better placed than authorities to see that threat, particularly at its early stages.”
The guide has been developed as a resource that will continue to be refreshed based on emerging evidence.
“I hope the guide can be used as the basis for informed discussions about the threat of violent extremism,” Ms Kitteridge said. “It’s about being alert to the threat but not alarmed. Resources like this show there are ways we can work together to keep each other safe.”
While this is the first time NZSIS has released a guide regarding observable behaviour or activities associated with violent extremism, there are a range of other resources it has produced for industry and government around mitigating the risks associated with foreign interference, espionage and insider threats.
The guide includes the following:
Extremism comes in different forms. This guide describes extremist behaviours only where they become, or there is an intention that they become, violent. Non-violent forms of extremism, however objectionable, lie outside the purpose of this booklet and outside NZSIS’s areas of focus.
Extremism: views on the fringe
Extreme ideologies can be based on faith, social or political beliefs that exist on the fringes of society, outside the more broadly accepted views and beliefs of most people. Extremists may seek to radically changethe nature of government, religion or society, or to create a community based on their ideology.
Violent extremism: the belief in violence
Violent extremists take these ideologies further and justify using violence to achieve radical changes. Violent extremists often target the groups that they see as threatening their success or survival, or undermining their worldview.
Terrorism refers to acting on that belief in violence
Violent extremism would only become terrorism when a terrorist act is carried out. Under New Zealand law, a terrorist act is defined as an ideologically, politically, or religiously-motivated act that is intended to intimidate a population, or to coerce or force the government to do or not to do certain things. A terrorist act could include acts causing death or serious bodily injury, but isn’t necessarily limited to this.
We use the following framework when referring to the motivations or ideologies behind violent extremism.
Politically-Motivated Violent Extremism
Promoting the use of violence to achieve change to or within an existing political system.
Faith-Motivated Violent Extremism
Promoting the use of violence to advance one’s own spiritual or religious objectives.
Identity-Motivated Violent Extremism
Promoting the use of violence to advance one’s own perception of identity and/or denigrate others’ perceived identities.
Single Issue-Motivated Violent Extremism
Promoting the use of violence to achieve a desired outcome to a specific issue.