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ONFIDENCE
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National Security Systems Directorate
Counter Terrorism
Information
Handbook
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Table of contents
Introduction
5
Background
5
Purpose
5
Scenarios
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What Ministers can expect
6
Scenario descriptions
8
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Scenario 1 – Change to the domestic threat level
8
Scenario 2 – Short, isolated attack
8
Scenario 3 – Hostage-taking/Siege Incident
8
Scenario 4 – Simultaneous attacks or complex cascading attack
9
Scenario 5 – Terrorist incident overseas that impacts New Zealand and/or New
Zealanders
9
Scenario 1 – Change to the domestic threat level
10
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Pre- meeting actions
10
First meeting considerations
11
Issues to be discussed at later meetings
12
Scenario 2 – Short, isolated attack
13
Pre- meeting actions
13
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First meeting considerations
14
Issues to be discussed at later meetings
16
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Scenario 3 – Hostage-taking/siege incident
18
Pre- meeting actions
18
First meeting considerations
19
Issues to be discussed at later meetings
22
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Scenario 4 – Simultaneous attacks or complex cascading attack
23
Pre- meeting actions
23
First meeting considerations
24
Issues to be discussed at later meetings
27
Scenario 5 – Terrorist incident overseas that affects New Zealand
28
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Pre- meeting actions
28
Immediate action
28
First meeting considerations
29
Issues to be discussed at later meetings
31
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Annex A: National Security System Response
32
Role
32
How does the national security system respond?
32
How does it work?
32
Decision support
33
Membership of the NSS Committees
33
Watch Group Membership
33
Ap
pendix 1: Draft a
genda
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Annex B: Key legislation and statutory powers
35
Business as usual powers
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Emergency powers
35
Annex C: Terrorism threat levels
37
Setting the terrorism threat level
37
Terrorism threat levels
37
How are threat levels determined?
37
Annex D: Protective security response
38
Information
Protective Security Response
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Public Safety
38
The Public Sector
38
How are the security measures implemented?
38
Alert Levels and Operational Security Measures
39
Annex E: Police operational response
40
Official
Legislative authority of New Zealand Police in Counter Terrorism
40
Police procedures in response to a change in threat level or Counter Terrorist (CT) event
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40
Operational response
40
Command, control and coordination
41
Annex F: CDEM management of incident consequences
Error! Bookmark not defined.
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The CDEM Framework
44
CDEM management of incident consequences
44
Annex G: NZDF assistance
45
Legislated employment of the NZDF in accordance with the Defence Act 1990
43
Approvals to employ NZDF in response to a domestic CT response.
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Possible NZDF actions/assistance in response to a change in domestic threat level or a CT
event.
43
What factors should be considered in providing NZDF assistance?
44
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Annex H: International response to a domestic terrorist incident
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International responses
45
International assistance
46
Foreign consular responsibilities
46
VIP Visitors
46
Investigations
46
Annex I: Transport security response
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Transport Response Team
47
Aviation security and airspace closures
47
Road and rail closures
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Annex J: Border security response
49
Border Security
49
Domestic Incident Response - How is it escalated?
49
Immediate Measures – Domestic Terrorist Attack
49
Annex K: Communications strategy
52
PIM Communications
52
Information
Strategic Communications
52
Expected Communications Challenges
52
Annex L: Glossary
54
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Introduction
Background
1.
The Government’s response to national crises is outlined in the National Security System
(NSS) Handbook. The NSS is New Zealand’s all-hazard national strategic planning and crisis
management system and it comprises three levels: a committee of key Ministers
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appointed by the Prime Minister; the Officials’ Committee for Domestic and External
Security Co-ordination (ODESC); and Watch Groups. During crises the NSS provides
strategic direction and ensures a coordinated government response. The NSS facilitates
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effective decision-making based upon situational awareness, a shared understanding of
how events may unfold and procedures to ensure that decisions are taken in a structured
way, at an appropriate level.
2.
A counter-terrorism response has the overall aim of securing a swift resolution that
reduces the risk to the public and ensures as little disruption and distress as possible.
Under New Zealand law an act of terrorism is a crime, and as such is subject to criminal
investigation and the judicial process. NZ Police therefore has the primary responsibility
for the operational response to a domestic terrorist incident.
3.
In some circumstances, the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM)
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and regional-level Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups are likely to be
requested to coordinate the response to manage the consequences of a domestic terrorist
incident.
4.
The frontline response (operational, and management of consequences) to an incident is
typically managed locally or regionally, and supported at the national level. However, the
complexity of terrorism requires that the Government be directly involved to harness all
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national resources to respond to an incident, which may have wide-ranging implications.
The response is guided by strategic objectives.
5.
The strategic objectives for an initial central government response are to:
the
a.
Ensure public safety, protect human life and alleviate suffering;
b.
Preserve sovereignty, and minimise impacts on society, the economy, and
the environment;
c.
Ensure responsiveness to community needs;
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d.
Support the continuity of everyday activity, and the early restoration of
disrupted services;
e.
Uphold the rule of law, democratic institutions and national values.
Purpose
6.
In addressing terrorism, New Zealand takes a risk management approach known as the ‘4
Rs’. The ‘4 Rs’ approach, as outlined in the 2019 national Counter-Terrorism Strategy,
encompasses end-to-end risk management around four elements: risk reduction,
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readiness, response and recovery. This Handbook is focused on the initial ‘response’
element of a terrorism event and is intended to act as an aide memoire that provides
guidance for Ministers and officials when actual or imminent attacks occur.
7.
The Handbook aims to:
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a.
Identify credible terrorist attack scenarios within the current terrorism threat
environment;
b.
Describe end-state objectives;
c.
Identify possible response options, and associated agency roles and responsibilities;
d.
Outline the actions taken by agencies in advance of the key Ministers and ODESC
meeting;
e.
Provide Ministers and senior officials with an indicative meeting run sheet including
key considerations;
f.
Provide background information concerning the enablers that contribute to an
effective counter terrorism response.
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Scenarios
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8.
While recognising the uniqueness of terrorist incidents, and accordingly the need to
maintain a flexible approach, observations from other countries’ experience indicate that
there are recurring themes and considerations that need to be addressed during a
response. The Handbook is arranged with this in mind, while also drawing on New
Zealand’s current domestic terrorist threat assessment.
9.
The Handbook does not contain an exhaustive list of all possible terrorist scenarios.
instead, it focuses on five scenarios that are indicative of the range and nature of credible
terrorist events based on the current terrorism threat environment. The five credible
scenarios are:
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Scenario 1: a change in New Zealand’s domestic terrorist threat level;
Scenario 2: a short, isolated attack;
Scenario 3: a hostage-taking/siege incident;
Scenario 4: simultaneous attacks or complex cascading attack;
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Scenario 5: a terrorist incident overseas that may impact New Zealanders
or have consequences in New Zealand.
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10. A real terrorist incident may differ from these scenarios or may encompass aspects from a
number of them. The guidance in this Handbook should be adapted according to the
unique nature of the terrorist event.
What Ministers can expect
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11. The NSS is geared to assisting Ministers to make well-informed decisions and provide a
degree of order and structure in challenging conditions. In this case a terrorist incident.
12. When an incident occurs, a committee of key Ministers would be convened in special
session, as part of its role to “Coordinate and direct national responses to major crises or
circumstances affecting national security either domestically or internationally”. Ministers
can expect to be briefed by the Chair of ODESC, the Commissioner of Police as well as
supporting agencies’ chief executives. In advance of the briefing, and time permitting,
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Ministers will receive a summary of what has happened. At the initial meeting, Ministers
will be:
a.
informed of what decisions are required of them and asked to provide direction to
officials;
b.
updated on what has occurred;
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c.
informed of the impact;
d.
briefed on what the response is;
e.
briefed on what the public is being told.
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