By JOHN ARMSTRONG political reporter
New Zealand SAS troops have been raiding locations in southern Afghanistan suspected of harbouring al Qaeda or senior Taleban personnel, arms and intelligence materials, two American defence websites say.
It is the first time any information has emerged regarding the contingent's role in Operation Enduring Freedom.
The websites - monitored by Green MP Keith Locke - reveal the SAS troops number around 40 and have been attached to an American special forces Seal unit called Task Force K-Bar.
It is commanded by Commodore Bob Harward, of the US Navy. The taskforce also includes German, Canadian and Danish or Norwegian special forces personnel.
The detachment's work is described as "sensitive site exploitation" - the surveillance and raiding of locations in southern Afghanistan.
Task Force K-Bar's operational areas included Kandahar, Khowst and the Bagram Airfield.
The posting of the information on the websites appear to be the result of a briefing by the taskforce commander in July.
The websites - www.cdi.org and www.thesealstore.com - refer to operations involving foreign troops, such as the capture of members of al Qaeda. But there are no examples mentioning the SAS specifically.
Mr Locke, the Greens' foreign affairs spokesman, said Defence Minister Mark Burton had refused last week to comment on the SAS' exact role in the United States-led war against terrorism.
The next day Mr Locke received precisely the information he wanted from the two websites.
"If it is good enough for the American in overall charge of our SAS troops in Afghanistan to spill the beans on what they are doing here, how can our Government still justify keeping everything under wraps?"
Story archives:
Links: War against terrorism
Timeline: Major events since the Sept 11 attacks
Websites divulge SAS moves in Afghanistan
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