6 August 2013

Former CIA terrorism expert questions need for GCSB bill changes

A visiting US expert on terrorism says it is hard to imagine al Qaeda training anyone in New Zealand. Glenn Carle, who was the CIA's former deputy national intelligence officer for transnational threats, is visiting New Zealand as part of a book tour and was referring to recent justifications for the GCSB bill by the Prime Minister.

"Al Qaeda does not send 'trainers' around the world, as implied in the statement about training here in New Zealand."

"It seems to me that Sir Bruce Ferguson, former GCSB director, was spot on that the S.I.S. has standing and adequate procedures to investigate and parry any terrorist-related threat to New Zealand."

"This makes me wonder why it would be necessary to change the law and bring the GCSB more directly into domestic affairs. We have found in the US that one should not turn the nation's foreign surveillance powers to domestic affairs."

Mr Carle is speaking in Australia and New Zealand about his book The Interrogator, which describes his experiences and growing concerns about torture and infringements on the rule of law while serving as a CIA officer during the Bush Administration years.

ENDS

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