Former SAS soldier says international far-right groups growing in New Zealand

A security expert is warning that internationally connected far-right groups are gaining traction in New Zealand.

Chris Kumeroa is a former SAS soldier specialising in counter terrorism, human tracking, mountaineering and reconnaissance.

He's worked in the security sector locally and abroad with foreign governments, including British and United States departments, and has protected high profile people, such as the Saudi royal family.

Kumeroa said extremist movements overseas were increasingly influencing local groups through online platforms, disinformation networks and ideological recruitment.

He said political polarisation, international conflicts and conspiracy movements had helped fuel the spread of extremist narratives in New Zealand since the Covid-19 pandemic.

''The left and right is playing out on a local level,'' he said.

''There's disinformation and misinformation groups...sovereign citizens, many groups, alt-right groups are growing globally.''

Kumeroa said security analysts were seeing increasing signs of overseas ideological influence shaping behaviour and rhetoric within New Zealand-based extremist communities.

''We are seeing quite a bit of international influence around political positions, whether it be left leaning, right leaning against opposite groups,'' he said.

Kumeroa specifically named white nationalist organisation Action Zealandia as one example of a group expanding its reach.

''Groups like Action Zealandia and a few others, they're starting to grow their numbers, grow their reach and take a position,'' he said.

Kumeroa said extremist rhetoric increasingly targeted politicians, judges and public figures, particularly around contentious political issues including Covid-19 policies, immigration and international conflicts.

He said security agencies and private intelligence operators were now routinely monitoring social media, encrypted platforms and parts of the dark web for signs of radicalisation or threats.

''We're constantly monitoring all sorts of groups,'' he said.

Kumeroa warned that while many online threats amounted to ''chest puffing'', authorities remained concerned about the risk posed by lone actors radicalised online.

''There are lone attackers out there that may have been radicalised by certain local international groups.''

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