Have you seen this man?

By BRIDGET CARTER

Police made a public appeal on national television for a suspected Mossad spy two days after Israelis were arrested for allegedly trying to fraudulently obtain a New Zealand passport.

Zev William Barkan, 37, appeared on the reality programme Police Ten 7 last month as being wanted for fraudulently obtaining a New Zealand passport.

The photo of Barkan used on the programme was the one he submitted for an urgent passport last month in the name of a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy sufferer, "Mr A", who has name suppression.

But the police now believe the missing man has left the country and admit they do not know where to find him.

Barkan had been in and out of the country since November on a US passport and court documents reveal that he flatted for several weeks with a woman in Sandringham, stayed with a couple in Mt Eden and told people he was here to go on a sailing course.

While in New Zealand he saw a doctor.

People he stayed with called him Jay. They said he returned late at night, always ate out and said his family had a doors and windows business where he lived in Washington DC.

His most recent trip began last month when he began urgently arranging a passport.

The talkative and friendly Barkan used the name of "Mr A", told officials he was in a rush to get a New Zealand passport because he was about to get married and said that he had never travelled. His accent came from mixing with Canadians, he told an Internal Affairs staff member.

The two men allegedly caught up with Barkan's activities are Uri Kelman, 30, and Eli Cara, 50, who appeared in the Auckland District Court on passport fraud charges last week.

Contact had allegedly been made with the pair. It was believed instructions were given for them to ensure a New Zealand passport for Barkan was picked up after he left the country on March 20.

The pair were arrested after police set a trap on March 23.

Detective Sergeant Aaron Pascoe would not comment last night when asked what attempts police were still making to track Barkan.

But the case has set off warning bells for the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Society, which is concerned people with disabilities will be a further target for such activity.

Chief executive Anne Murphy said it was obvious "Mr A" had been "highlighted" by those allegedly involved. He was a heavy internet user and one possibility was that his identity had been stolen by someone who knew of his status online.

Although he was aware of what was happening, she said, he was not interested in knowing about it.

"We want the message to get out that people with disabilities need to be careful over such personal things such as birth certificates and whether or not they have a passport."

Kelman and Cara have denied three charges, including attempting to obtain a New Zealand passport and participating in an organised crime group to obtain a passport.

The pair have been on bail for several weeks, and have been instructed by the courts to stay in two Auckland hotels.

Staff at both hotels said the men had checked out. Police said they were satisfied that the pair were complying with their bail conditions.

A fourth person is believed to be involved and is understood to be still in New Zealand.