A law change in 2005 means that the government can cancel passports. The Prime Minister, John Key, said today that the government had cancelled a small number of passports – less than 10. Some passports were cancelled to stop people going to Syria to fight against the Syrian government. Passports of people who are already fighting in Syria can be cancelled and these people will not be able to return to New Zealand. The 2005 law said that passports could be cancelled if it was believed the holder of the passport was a terrorist or a danger to our country. John Key said the government was worried that anyone going to Syria to fight could be working with al-Qaeda.
John Key also said that the government spy agency, the GCSB, would be watching anyone who had returned from fighting in Syria.
About 100 Australians have gone to fight in Syria. Australia has cancelled passports of some of these people. The problem in New Zealand is much smaller.
Listen to July 28th 2013 to hear more about the GCSB.
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