New Zealanders are being urged to dob in suspected terrorists to the Security Intelligence Service (SIS).
The SIS has urged people to report suspicious activity, or tell it of any anyone they felt might be involved in illegitimate activity, or contributing to the spread or acquisition of weapons of mass destruction.
The SIS said on its website weapons of mass destruction included nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological weapons that could cause large-scale harm to people and/or property.
It also said a wide range of seemingly benign industrial goods, technology and expertise could help would-be proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.
They could be both state and non-state entities, and those who assist them for profit or ideology.
There had been attempts to acquire New Zealand science and technology for weapons of mass destruction programmes or weapons delivery systems, and New Zealand companies had also been targeted for their goods or knowledge.
Suspicious activity included:
• an unconvincing explanation for why the items were required;
• routine installation, training or maintenance services are declined;
• payment by cash or offers above the ticket price;
• you cannot substantiate the nature of the a new business;
• excessive requirements for confidentiality;
• the customer or end-user is a foreign military or government research body;
• a cancelled sale replaced by an identical order under a different name;
• the customer uses a generic email address;
• reluctance to offer information;
• asking for the goods to be transferred to a forwarding address in New Zealand or transhipment point overseas;
• reluctance to provide clear answers to commercial or technical questions;
• requests for unusual shipping, packaging or labelling;
• an installation site with strict security controls;
• requests for confidentiality about final destinations, customers or specifications of items;
• requests for additional equipment not normally associated with a particular item or a lack of interest in parts.
The SIS also urged researchers and tertiary institutions to report any suspicious activity from people or entities linked with countries likely to develop or acquire weapons of mass destruction.
