19 May 2014

Spy agency may have helped drone attacks

9:48 pm on 19 May 2014

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has confirmed that information gathered by the Government's electronic spy agency could have been used in identifying targets for United States drone attacks.

Prime Minister John Key.

Prime Minister John Key. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

However, Mr Key told a post-Cabinet news conference on Monday that the GCSB did not supply information that led to the death of New Zealander Daryl Jones during a drone attack in Yemen last year.

Mr Key said it is almost certain that information gathered by the Government Communications Security Bureau has been used for drone attacks in Afghanistan.

He would not rule out such information has also been used for attacks in other countries.

Mr Key said he is quite comfortable about the information being used in that way, and that New Zealand has acted within the law.