New Zealand Soldier Sentenced to Two Years for Espionage Attempt

A military court in New Zealand has sentenced a soldier to two years’ detention for attempted espionage, marking a significant development in the country’s military history. The unidentified soldier confessed to charges of attempted espionage, accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes, and knowingly possessing objectionable material.

The court martial, held at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North, revealed that the soldier provided military base maps and photographs to an undercover officer who posed as an agent for a foreign power. The investigation also uncovered that he possessed a livestreamed video of the tragic March 2019 shootings, where Brenton Tarrant killed 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch.

During the proceedings, it was disclosed that the soldier had become a person of interest following the Christchurch attack, as law enforcement intensified crackdowns on right-wing extremist groups, to which he belonged. According to a summary presented by the prosecution, the government found that he had “made contact with a third party, indicating that he was a soldier who was wanting to defect.”

First Conviction of Its Kind

This case represents the first espionage conviction in New Zealand’s history. The military court has permanently suppressed the identity of the foreign nation involved, which has added an element of intrigue to the proceedings. The soldier was arrested in December 2019 and has since spent nearly all that time under what the New Zealand Defence Force termed open arrest.

During this period, he lived on an army base in a military house and was subject to a curfew. Notably, he was suspended on full pay, accumulating over US$230,000 (approximately NZ$400,000) during his detention. Despite the circumstances, he married and welcomed two children into his family, with his wife currently expecting a third child.

The soldier’s actions have raised concerns regarding national security and the integrity of military personnel. The New Zealand Defence Force is expected to conduct a thorough review of its protocols concerning service members and their potential affiliations with extremist groups.

As this case unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding national security and the potential vulnerabilities that can arise within military ranks. The implications of this sentencing may lead to further scrutiny of individuals in the armed forces and their interactions with foreign entities.