NZ passport security under spotlight after Israeli 'spy' case

1.00pm

The security of New Zealand passports is under the spotlight after two suspected Israeli spies were caught allegedly trying to obtain the documents here.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has said the Government would do everything it could to protect the reputation of New Zealand passports, while National Party immigration spokesman Wayne Mapp is calling for a review of the passport system.

"What the Government takes extremely seriously is any action which sets out to challenge the integrity of the New Zealand passport system and we will act in any way we can to protect the reputation of the New Zealand passport," Miss Clark told National Radio.

Last night, she said the matter had been raised directly with the Israeli government.

Miss Clark said she could not discuss details as the case was still before the court.

"There will be a strong and public response to this matter once the court action has concluded," she said.

Urie Zoshe Kelman, 30, and Eli Cara, 50, appeared in Auckland District Court yesterday. They denied three joint charges including attempting to obtain a New Zealand passport and participating in an organised crime group to obtain a false passport.

Details that emerged in court revealed two other men were involved. Zev William Barkan, 37, has fled the country and authorities concede they would not know where to find him. A fourth man is believed to be here but police say the others refuse to identify him.

Meanwhile, Dr Mapp said the case highlighted the importance of the integrity of New Zealand passports.

"It's the sort of thing that happens to countries but I think fundamentally we have to learn lessons from it and we have to be prepared to tighten up," Dr Mapp told NZPA.

"A review of our passport system looks like it is required. We're not in a benign environment any more, we're in an age of international terrorism where hundreds of people can die due to terrorist incidents. Absolute vigilance is required."

The Government has not officially confirmed the two arrested men were Israeli secret service (Mossad) agents but senior government officials said it was believed they were.

The court was told the accused and the other two people had been in and out of the country since last November. Cara, who says he is a Sydney-based travel agent, travelled in and out 24 times since October 2000.

The case is the first known example of foreign agents appearing in a New Zealand court since the 1985 arrest of the Rainbow Warrior bombers.

The court heard the visits since last year were allegedly for the purpose of obtaining a false New Zealand identity for one of the men.

They allegedly made a passport application using a birth certificate of a person with cerebral palsy, who authorities say was an innocent victim of the scam.

- NZPA