New Zealand Involved in US Intelligence Leak Investigation
New Zealand has been implicated in the leakage of classified documents detailing the United States' evaluation of Israel's plan to attack Iran. The White House National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, has stated that President Joe Biden is gravely worried about this leak.
Details of the Leaked Documents
The leaked documents, one of which was assembled by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) while the other appears to have come from the National Security Agency (NSA), were marked as "top secret". These documents were circulated within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The acronym FGI, which stands for Foreign Government Intelligence, is included in the documents. These were published on a Telegram account aligned with Iran, named "Middle East Spectator", last week. However, Kirby has stated that there are no signs that additional documents will be made public.
New Zealand's Vulnerability to Hacks
New Zealand has recently been targeted by several successful cyberattacks from foreign powers. The country's intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), has recently experienced a budget cut of $7 million (US$4.7 million). Given Iran's extensive and advanced cyber-warfare capabilities, the possibility of a hostile hack is currently under investigation by US intelligence agencies and the FBI.
Growth in New Zealand's Intelligence Personnel
In response to queries about the Israel-Iran breach, both the GCSB and its Minister, Judith Collins, declined to comment on intelligence matters. However, the GCSB did note that the number of employees across the agency and the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) has slightly increased this year. The agency emphasized that information security is always a top priority for intelligence agencies.
Potential Impact of the Leak
This leak could potentially jeopardize New Zealand's role in several new agreements. These include the United States easing rules around the sale of space technology to close allies and the NGA collaborating more with military forces on ground targeting. However, dual-use military and civilian technology has been transported in rockets launched from New Zealand by the private firm Rocket Lab.
A US firm that sells satellite imagery to the governments of America and Ukraine to monitor the Ukrainian war launched a payload in August. New Zealand has recently assisted the US Space Force with satellite tracking, establishing a US-funded NZ Defence Force hub in Auckland last year and joining Operation Olympic Defender last month.
The NGA provides both combat support and core intelligence, playing a crucial role in the allied geospatial intelligence system (ASG), which includes GEOINT New Zealand, a team comprised of NZ Defence Force and intelligence agency personnel.
Bottom Line
The implications of this leak are far-reaching and could potentially impact New Zealand's role in several significant agreements. The investigation into this matter is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what the consequences will be for New Zealand and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. What are your thoughts on this situation? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss it further. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which takes place every day at 6pm.
