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A quick Google search of the registration number on the white, Gulfstream Aerospace's tail revealed United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) owns the jet.
The Gulfstream has joined a second private jet at the airport, acting as added confirmation that the "Government conference" set to play out at luxury Millbrook Resort in Arrowtown in the coming week, is a meeting of spying network Five Eyes - the global alliance of the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Looks like we're getting a visit from our old mate, Barack Obama!
Is Barack Obama finally coming to New Zealand?
A wealth of speculation is growing around the suspected visit of a major political figure in Queenstown this weekend.
A security detail under the alias of Operation Silver Fern will require members of the police and special tactics teams including more than a dozen reinforcements from Christchurch.
Sources have told the Otago Daily Times that the operation to protect a "very, very important person" could require twice the number of security detail used for the visit of sitting Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in February.
From 1946 onwards, the core Five Eyes consist of Australia (accepted 1956), Canada (accepted 1948), New Zealand (accepted 1956), the United Kingdom (co-creator 1946), and the United States (co-creator 1946). Further, there is a group of nations termed '3rd Party Partners', which share their intelligence with the 5 Eyes.
According to Edward Snowden, the NSA has a "massive body" called the Foreign Affairs Directorate that is responsible for partnering with foreign countries.
Six Eyes
According to the news magazine L'Obs, in 2009, the United States proposed to France to join the Five Eyes, that would then have become the "Six Eyes". Nicolas Sarkozy however made the requirement to be granted the same status as other allies, including the signing of a "no-spy agreement". This requirement was approved by the director of the NSA, but not by the director of the CIA, and furthermore not by President Barack Obama, resulting in a refusal from France.
Nine Eyes
The Nine Eyes consist of the Five Eyes plus Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Norway.
Fourteen Eyes
The Fourteen Eyes consist of the Nine Eyes plus Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden. According to a document leaked by Edward Snowden, the Fourteen Eyes are officially known as SIGINT Seniors Europe, or "SSEUR". Germany is reportedly interested in moving closer to the inner circle of the alliance.
An internal GCHQ document from 2009 said that the "Germans were a little grumpy at not being invited to join the 9-Eyes group." Germany may even wish to join the Five Eyes. Several members of the United States Congress such as Tim Ryan and Charles Dent are currently pushing for Germany's entrance to the Five Eyes alliance.
Forty One Eyes
Includes all the countries of Fourteen Eyes with the addition of the allied coalition in Afghanistan;
Tier B countries with which the Five Eyes have “focused cooperation” on computer network exploitation, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey;
Singapore has also partnered with the Five Eyes.
Club of Berne: 17 members including primarily European States; the US is not a member;
The Counterterrorist Group: a wider membership than the 17 European States that make up the Club of Berne, and includes the US;
NATO Special Committee: made up of the heads of the security services of NATO member countries
originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: intrptr
I don't think this particular group would be weighing in on anything like that.
You're describing a function of NATO not the intelligence community.
I'd be more inclined to think it's regarding security against espionage in the current world climate.
originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: intrptr
What does that have to do with this?
Nothing.
Acts of war do not fall under the intelligence agencies.
Might as well say the dept of education declared war on Korea. It's the same thing.
I don't think this particular group would be weighing in on anything like that.
You're describing a function of NATO not the intelligence community.
I'd be more inclined to think it's regarding security against espionage in the current world climate.
originally posted by: Sillyolme
What does that have to do with this?
Nothing.
Acts of war do not fall under the intelligence agencies.
Might as well say the dept of education declared war on Korea. It's the same thing.
originally posted by: intrptr
Good luck convincing allied nations to go on the offensive against little nations that haven't attacked anyone (like Korea).
The ally base in the west is supposed to be defensive and I bet everyone of them is on board with that.
Currently not one of those Allies is under attack...