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Security agencies under scrutiny following terror attacks

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 19 Mar 2019, 8:12AM
Photo / File

Security agencies under scrutiny following terror attacks

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 19 Mar 2019, 8:12AM

An inquiry into Friday's terror attacks is expected to reveal whether security agencies were looking in the right places.

It will investigate whether red flags were missed by the SIS, GCSB, Police, Customs or Immigration.

Andrew Little is the Minister responsible for the GCSB and SIS. He told Q + A last night he signs warrants for those agencies to look into extremism, but they're not confined to just one form of it.

"The inquiry is important because an independent and high level high-levels will look over everything and provide a report. I am confident it will provide reassurance these agencies have done the correct thing and done nothing other than fulfil their mandate."

Wellington barrister Graeme Edgeler told Mike Hosking the inquiry will show whether there is been too much emphasis on jihadis and not enough on white supremacists.

He says the investigation will work out exactly who missed it.

"Each agency can't be looking at everything and the inquiry will reveal whose job it was to look at this. Agencies have to act within the law but most of them do have pretty wide powers."

"My guess is that organisations like the GSCB have the power and funding to do something about this, the question is were they looking in the right places?"

Edgeler says there is a good prospect the inquiry will find something useful and says a number of other enquiries, like that into the Cave Creek tragedy, have found Government departments wanting.

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