A New Zealand soldier with links to white supremacist groups has become the first person in the nation’s history to be convicted of espionage.
The soldier, understood to be in his early thirties, admitted to attempted espionage, accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes, and knowingly possessing objectionable publications. His conviction follows a covert military investigation that began after the Christchurch mosque terror attacks in March 2019.
Authorities said the man was placed under surveillance as part of Operation Whakahaumanu — a joint initiative between police and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) aimed at monitoring extremist groups. Investigators identified him as a member of Action Zealandia and the Dominion Movement, both far-right organizations under scrutiny in the aftermath of Brenton Tarrant’s massacre of 51 worshippers.
The court martial, which has been shrouded in secrecy since the soldier’s 2020 arrest, heard how he offered to pass sensitive military information to what he believed was a foreign intelligence operative. In reality, the individual was an undercover officer.
At their first meeting in Palmerston North, the soldier handed over a letter detailing the types of information he could provide, including “mapping and photographs” and the possibility of smuggling a covert device into Army headquarters. He later supplied annotated aerial photographs, military directories, and access codes for Linton Military Camp and Ohakea airbase, exposing serious security vulnerabilities.
Further attempts were made to obtain maps of other Royal New Zealand Air Force facilities, including bases in Auckland and Woodbourne. Some of this classified material was discovered after the soldier stumbled upon documents belonging to another serviceman while moving into new accommodation.
A search of his home and devices also revealed copies of Tarrant’s live-streamed video of the Christchurch attacks, the extremist manifesto The Great Replacement, and unauthorized NZDF ammunition.
In court, the soldier wept as evidence was presented but maintained his actions were motivated by a desire to defect to a country where he believed he would be safe. “All I wanted to do was leave New Zealand and get to what I thought was safety,” he wrote in an affidavit, describing himself as a “proud New Zealander” who did not condone the Christchurch killings.
The military court suppressed the soldier’s name, the foreign country he attempted to aid, and the identity of the undercover operative. His sentencing will be delivered in the coming days.
This marks only the second espionage trial in New Zealand’s history, following the Cold War-era case of public servant Bill Sutch, who was acquitted in 1975. However, it is the first to be heard in a military court.
The verdict is expected to draw close attention from New Zealand’s Five Eyes intelligence partners — the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada — as well as from regional powers including China, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Pacific.
