COPS ALERT BANKS TO TERROR TRANSACTIONS
Police warning over terror transactions as Christchurch attacks anniversary nears Search for tourist missing in Fiji
White supremacists have published online a highly confidential New Zealand Police document in which banks were told to be on high alert about terror financing.
Police are now investigating how the sensitive memo was circulated on social media.
The memo was sent by the New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit to financial institutions on February 27 and included a list of transactions that banks should look out for in the lead-up to the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks, which killed 51 people, on March 15.
It said the intelligence unit was aware of a number of transactions that were “common in the extreme right-wing community”.
The Herald on Sunday is not listing the transactions.
The document was posted online on the messaging app Telegram.
It was in a private channel in which views were expressed that appeared sympathetic to the alleged Christchurch shooter and to incite violence against police officers.
Detective Inspector Craig Hamilton said police were aware that the document was being circulated on social media and warned that distributing it was an illegal activity.
Hamilton, the national manager of the financial crime group, said the document is Police property and “anyone found to have unlawfully distributed it, or found in unlawful possession of it, can be prosecuted”. No further details were provided about who police were speaking to about the leak.
The police document includes a warning that it can only be distributed internally and is marked “NOT FOR FURTHER DISSEMINATION”.
White Rose Society Australia,
This document is police property and anyone found to have unlawfully distributed it can be prosecuted. Detective Inspector Craig Hamilton
which describes itself as an antifascist research group, said the Telegram channel where the document was published was based in Ukraine.
A mobile phone screenshot of the police memo shows that it was forwarded by a Spark NZ mobile account.
White Rose Society alleged that the police document was published in the same channel where a threat was made against the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch last week.
Christchurch man, Sam Brittenden, 19, was last week charged in relation to that threat.
Hamilton said police regularly provided advice to other agencies regarding the detection and reporting of suspicious activity.
“This advice is always issued with the goal of keeping our communities safe from harm,” he said.
Fiji police have set up a taskforce to investigate the disappearance of Auckland-based UK woman Lydia O’Sullivan, who has been missing in the Pacific Island nation for eight days.
O’Sullivan, 23, from Whitehaven, Cumbria, has not been in contact with her family since arriving in Fiji on the flight from Auckland on February 26.
Cumbria police said O’Sullivan had been living in Auckland and had been travelling in various countries for the past two years.
“Cumbria Constabulary is liaising with Lydia’s family and agencies including the police in Fiji but would ask anyone with any knowledge of her whereabouts to contact police.”
Fiji police yesterday said O’Sullivan’s last known location was in a hotel in Fiji’s Western Division, on the main island of Viti Levu.
“She already checked out, and as of today no missing person’s report has been lodged at any police station around Fiji.”
O’Sullivan usually messages family daily but has not been heard from since February 28. She is described as about 1.5m tall, of small build, with blue eyes and long brown hair.
O’Sullivan’s sister, Franciene Nicholson, appealed on Facebook on Friday for help from anyone with contacts on the Pacific Island nation.
“Please could everyone share my post. My sister Lydia has not been in touch with home for seven days now, which is out of character. She’s normally in contact every day. She was last in contact on Feb 26 when she landed in Fiji .
“Please, please share friends across the seas.”
Nicholson said her sister was staying at the Bamboo Travellers hostel in Nadi. She had been teaching English while travelling to various countries.
“She messaged to say she had landed safely but has not been heard of since,” Nicholson wrote.
“Lydia normally contacts my mother daily. We are becoming increasingly worried as a family.”
New Zealand police said they have given relevant information to Fiji police to help support their inquiries.
Fiji police have been contacted for comment. with any