NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden deals New Zealand government an embarrassing blow, confirming it did implement a mass surveillance program while publicly denying it
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has been accused of not telling the truth about implementing a mass spying program which allowed his country's spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to tap into its citizens' phone, email and other communications.
According to documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden, the New Zealand government worked on the implementation of a secret mass surveillance program code-named "Speargun" in 2012-2013. Speargun involved the covert tapping into an undersea telecoms cable in order for the GCSB to carry out bulk interception and analysis of all communications sent in and out of New Zealand.
Snowden's revelations dealt a blow to PM John Key, who has denied the existence of any mass spying program in New Zealand. "There is not, and never has been, a cable access surveillance programme operating in New Zealand," Key said in a statement. Previously, in August 2013, John Key had said that he and the head of the GCSB would resign if the spy agency was found to have conducted mass surveillance.
Edward Snowden weighed in, warning New Zealanders: "If you live in New Zealand, you are being watched," he said, appearing via live stream at "Moment of Truth", an event organised by the Internet Party at Auckland Town Hall on Monday, just days ahead of the forthcoming general election. The Internet Party has been established and is funded by Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom. The party advocates Internet freedom, privacy and less surveillance, copyright reform as well as investing heavily in education, research and technology, tackling unemployment and fighting poverty.
"The GCSB, whose operations he is responsible for, is directly involved in the untargeted, bulk interception and algorithmic analysis of private communications sent via internet, satellite, radio, and phone networks," Snowden confirmed.
According to Snowden, the United States' National Security Agency (NSA), where he previously worked as a security analyst, has collected, and continues to collect mass surveillance data on New Zealanders via a tool called "X KEYSCORE". Access to the data, which included private communications of millions of New Zealanders, is provided by the NSA also to the GCSB in New Zealand as part of the global "Five Eyes" surveillance network which includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Kim Dotcom, who has long vowed to show that current Prime Minister John Key was a liar, has pledged to end mass surveillance in New Zealand if his Internet Party wins enough essential votes at the general election on Saturday.
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