New Zealand spying on Pacific countries, says Snowden

New Zealand is spying on its neighbors and allies, including countries in the Pacific region, new documents released by U.S. fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden showed Thursday.

According to the documents, published by the local NZ Herald newspaper, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, Nauru and Samoa were targets of the New Zealand Government Communication Security Bureau (GCSB).

Information collected from across the Pacific was then shared with New Zealand's Five Eyes partners, the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia. The revelations also raised questions about whether New Zealanders living in the Pacific were subject to the mass surveillance operation.

It is illegal for governmental intelligence bureau to spy on New Zealand citizens.

Last year, Snowden's documents suggested the GCSB used overseas embassies to snoop on foreign countries.

A spokeswoman said the New Zealand government will not be responding to claims made from documents stolen by Snowden.

"The Snowden documents were taken some time ago and many are old, out of date, and we can't discount that some of what is being put forward may even be fabricated," the spokeswoman said, "New Zealand's intelligence agencies have been, and continue to be, a significant contributor to our national security and the security of New Zealanders at home and abroad." Endi