Last updated:
Monday, 6 December 2021
Th following document has been proactively released by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), on behalf of Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Minister for National Security and Intelligence:
Managing Foreign Terrorist Fighters
The following document has been included in this release:
Minute of Decision: Managing Foreign Terrorist Fighters (ERS-19-MIN-0002)
Accessible HTML version
Part of the document is extracted below in HTML. If you require a full HTML version of this document release please contact information@dpmc.govt.nz and cite ERS-19-MIN-0002 as a reference.
Extract from Minute of Decision: Managing Foreign Terrorist Fighters (ERS-19-MIN-0002)
Portfolio: National Security and Intelligence
On 19 February 2019, the Cabinet External Relations and Security Committee:
1noted that a very small number of New Zealanders have travelled to the Middle East to join Daesh's caliphate;
2noted that foreign terrorist fighters are increasingly seeking to leave the conflict zone or are being detained by local forces;
3noted that a New Zealand foreign terrorist fighter could also emerge from a conflict zone in another part of the world;
4agreed that New Zealand's objectives in taking decisions about New Zealand foreign terrorist fighters be to:
4.1support the protection of New Zealand's national security;
4.2bring foreign terrorist fighters to justice, where possible;
4.3rehabilitate, where possible;
4.4treat children of foreign terrorist fighters with particular care;
5agreed that in pursuit of these objectives, decisions about individual foreign terrorist fighters be guided by:
5.1the individual's circumstances and risk profile;
5.2determining whether New Zealand has the appropriate jurisdiction;
5.3international and domestic law;
5.4principles of necessity, proportionality and practicality;
6agreed that where New Zealand is taking actions concerning the children of foreign terrorist fighters in the exercise of its jurisdiction, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration;
7directed officials, in taking decisions about individual foreign terrorist fighters, to consult with the Minister of Justice and Minister Responsible for the NZSIS on the application of the objectives and principles described above.
Janine Harvey
Committee Secretary
