 The subsequent activities of the group have been controversial, following the revelation in December 2008 that Christchurch man Rob Gilchrist had been spying for SIG officers on individuals and organisations including Greenpeace, Iraq war protestors, student associations, animal rights and climate change campaigners.News that SIG existed first emerged in public media in December 2008, when it was reported that an exposed SIG spy had spied on political parties and organisations involved in peaceful, environmental, animal and human rights activities.Subsequent articles reported that SIG had been receiving information on a variety of organisations including unions, contrary to a prior claim that only individuals were targeted.