New Zealand has strengthened efforts to monitor citizens and prevent them from joining the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. In a Reuters report, the New Zealand government has ruled out the possibility of any combat role against ISIS militants.

Prime Minister John Key said the country had to acknowledge the risks the country has faced because of the rise of the ISIS. New Zealand citizens have been previously reported to be raising funds to support the militants and getting directly involved in the fighting.

Mr Key has announced that the government will be extending its powers to cancel or suspend passports. The country's security and intelligence service will also be given additional funding and boost its surveillance powers to monitor possible ISIS supporters. The prime minister has confirmed that there might be people who will "turn their minds to terrorist acts at home."

About 30 to 40 New Zealanders are being monitored for potential involvement. Although Mr Key has ruled out military involvement, an advance team from New Zealand Defence has been sent to Iraq to evaluate New Zealand's potential role in training Iraqi troops.

Meanwhile, the number of people on the government's watchlist has surprised members of the Federation of Islamic Associations. The organisation's vice-president, Javed Khan, said they were concerned that Mr Key had mentioned a huge number. The federation's own intelligence revealed around five to eight people who may be possibly connected to ISIS.

Khan said he was worried about the implication of the government's watchlist to Muslims in the country. He believes the list has a greater implication on the Muslim community because a person outside of it might think any Muslim has "links to terrorism." Khan is worried the watchlist could create a stigma on the community.

Professor Robert Ayson from Victoria University's Strategic Studies Centre remarked that Mr Key may have overemphasised the risk in New Zealand. He was worried that it will turn into something bigger than reality, RadioNZ reports.

New Zealand First party leader Winston Peters believes New Zealand is engaged in the war against ISIS. Although Mr Key has not sent troops to fight on the ground, training Iraqi troops would mean the same thing to ISIS militants.