IR-01-24-42699
11 February 2025
John Wilson
[FYI request #29268 email]
Dear John
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request partially transferred from the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) on 4 November 2024. You requested:
3. Information on when the process to designate Hezbollah and the Houthis as terrorist
organisations was initiated, including details of the individuals, agencies, or departments
responsible for starting the process.
4. Documentation or records detailing the initiation of this process, including internal
communications, memos, or any other relevant materials.
I have interpreted your request as seeking information in relation to Hizbol ah, specifically to the
designation of the entirety of that organisation on 20 November 2024. The military wing of
Hizbol ah (known as Islamic Resistance) was initially designated on 11 October 2010.
Information held by New Zealand Police (Police) regarding the initiation of the process for
consideration of the designation of the entirety of Hizbollah and of the Houthis (Ansar Al ah) as
terrorist entities is limited to Police’s role as chair of the Terrorism Designation Working Group
(TDWG). This information is contained in minutes from TDWG meetings.
The majority of the information contained in the TDWG minutes is not relevant to your request
or would be withheld pursuant to the fol owing sections of the OIA:
•
section 6(a); the release would be likely to prejudice the security or defence of New
Zealand or the international relations of New Zealand.
•
section 6(b) the release would be likely to prejudice the entrusting of information to the
Government of New Zealand on a basis of confidence.
•
section 6(c); the release would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law,
including the prevention, investigation and detection of offences.
In response to your request therefore, I am providing the information sought in the form of a
summary, in accordance with section 16(1)(e) of the OIA, as outlined below.
The first reference to the possibility of preparing a Statement of Case for a decision on whether
to designate the entirety of Hizbol ah as a terrorist entity was made during a meeting of the
TDWG held on 11 October 2023. This meeting included officials from DPMC, the New Zealand
Defence Force, Crown Law Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New
Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
At this meeting, officials primarily discussed the potential expansion of the existing designation
of Hamas’ military wing (known as the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades) to incorporate the entirety
of Hamas. The minutes note that similar questions about the existing designation of the military
wing of Hizbol ah were likely to be raised in future.
The topic of designating the entirety of Hizbollah was raised at a further TDWG meeting held on
7 November 2023. At a meeting on 23 November 2023, the TDWG noted that the group would
continue to consider the issue of designation of the entirety of Hizbol ah and discuss this at a
later date. At a TDWG meeting on 1 December 2023, NZ Police indicated it would begin looking
at Hizbollah in early 2024.
On 31 January 2024, the TDWG agreed that work should begin on a Statement of Case for the
Prime Minister to consider designation of the entirety of Hizbollah. At this meeting, TDWG also
agreed that work should begin on a Statement of Case in relation to the Houthis due to an
increase in the escalation of their attacks on civilian targets in the Red Sea.
Drafting and consideration of the Statements of Case commenced in February 2024 and
continued until these were submitted to the Prime Minister on 17 September 2024.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision if you are not satisfied with the
response to your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
Yours sincerely
Dan Wildy PhD
Director, National Intelligence
New Zealand Police
