.png)
Artist’s impression of a small Australian built satellite to help gather intelligence for the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence network involving Australia, USA, UK, Canada and NZ.
THERE is going to be a highly secretive meeting being held in Queenstown this weekend, which is a gathering of intelligence and security agencies related to the Five Eyes — the spying partnership of the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
The NZ Heraldreports people believed to be attending include Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Mike Pompeo.
It is understood about 15 agencies, which carry out intelligence for Five Eyes, are attending the conference.
In a statement released yesterday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Bill English confirmed a number of senior officials were coming for a conference hosted by the Government, but would not reveal what the conference was.
“Due to specific security requirements we cannot comment further at this time. However, as police have pointed out they are not aware of a visit to Queenstown by a current or former head of state.”
Speculation about the visit was sparked after the Otago Daily Times reported a “very, very important person” was set to arrive in the region and strong security measures were underway in preparation.
Not a terrible location for a secret spy meeting.Source:Supplied
The ODT said it was understood the operation would continue for about a week with golf featuring on the itinerary.
Visits by the top spies are usually kept under wraps, although former Prime Minister John Key last year disclosed the then US director of intelligence Jim Clapper was in town when asked why a US plane was at the military terminal in Wellington. Clapper visited on his way to Australia for a Five Eyes conference.
He retired before last year’s US elections and Coats was sworn in March.
The director of national intelligence is the chief intelligence adviser to the President and oversees the 16 agencies within the US intelligence community including the CIA and National Security Agency.
Queenstown, and Arrowtown in particular have long been a magnet for international figures.
Former United States President Bill Clinton stayed at Millbrook Resort in 1999 after an Apec leaders’ meeting in Auckland.
This story first appeared on the NZ Herald and has been republished with permission.
