Soldier Admits Attempted Espionage of New Zealand Military Bases

A New Zealand soldier with links to far-right groups has admitted to attempted espionage by trying to pass sensitive military information to what he believed was a foreign agent, but was actually an undercover officer. The soldier handed over classified phone directories, maps, aerial photos, security vulnerability assessments, his own ID, access codes, and passwords related to various military bases, including Linton, Burnham, Trentham, Ohakea, Woodbourne, and Whenuapai. He also accessed the Defence Force's restricted IT system dishonestly to obtain additional sensitive materials. Furthermore, the soldier possessed a video of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks and the attacker's manifesto, "The Great Replacement," both outlawed by the Chief Censor. The charges, originating from a 2019 incident and following a 2020 arrest after a joint NZDF and police investigation, include attempted espionage, dishonest computer access, and possession of objectionable material. This case marks a rare instance of espionage-related charges in New Zealand, with media reporting on the soldier's guilty plea for the first time due to prior court suppression orders.