3 May 2012

Vigilance needed on terror threats - Napolitano

2:06 pm on 3 May 2012

US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano says terrorists are still intent on attacking western countries including New Zealand.

Ms Napolitano is in New Zealand and has signed a joint statement to strengthen border security and combat trans-national crime.

She told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme that threats from terrorism remain.

"Al Qaeda and its affiliates are still intent on attacking the West, and that would include of course Australia and New Zealand.

"We've no specific or credible threats right now about that but we need to ... just be very vigilant."

Ms Napolitano says cyber-crime is on the increase, with more terrorists using the internet to plan attacks.

However she says countries are better prepared since the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001.

There are improved information-sharing agreements and technology that enables governments to monitor possible threats.

Janet Napolitano on Thursday met Labour Party leader David Shearer who said they discussed cyber terrorism and the challenges that countries such as the United States face.