Surveillance

The Exclusive Brethren church has been using controversial private investigators Thompson and Clark to spy on former members of the church. Over the past two years, Thompson and Clark has conducted hundreds of hours of surveillance on former members who have criticised the cult-like church. They have watched ex-Brethren from cars and surveillance vans and have taken photographs of people entering and leaving their homes. Thompson and Clark made headlines after spying on Greenpeace and Christchurch earthquake insurance claimants. A State Services Commission inquiry was later launched into government agencies’ use of security consultants. Government agencies were forbidden from using the private investigators. But Thompson and Clark has continued the same operations for private clients, including the Exclusive Brethren. – RNZ