Israeli man entered NZ using Canadian passport, court told

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN, assistant editor

Documents produced at the Auckland District Court show an Israeli man who allegedly tried to obtain a false New Zealand passport previously came to this country on a Canadian passport.

Uri Kelman - facing joint charges with fellow Israeli Eli Cara - entered New Zealand this year on his Israeli passport. But on a visit five years ago Kelman entered Auckland on his Canadian passport, leaving eight weeks later on a temporary replacement Canadian passport he had obtained in New Zealand.

Government officials probed the travel history of Cara and Kelman before their appearance in the Auckland District Court last Friday.

Senior Customs officer Thomas Mitchell used the service's computer system, known as Cusmod, to pin down their movements.

Police also probed the travel history of Israeli Zev Barkman, an alleged "third man" who applied for a New Zealand passport in the name of a cerebral palsy sufferer but left the country without being apprehended by police. Another so-far unidentified man, who police claim to be an accomplice, is understood to still be in New Zealand.

Each time someone leaves or enters New Zealand it is recorded in Cusmod with the person's name and date of birth, their passport number, arrival or departure date and the flight on which they arrive or depart.

Mr Mitchell's search found that Kelman arrived at Auckland International Airport on Qantas flight QF101 from Los Angeles on February 2, 1999, using his Canadian passport CA PC 038241.

On March 30, 1999, he left through Christchurch, flying to Melbourne on QF36 on Canadian passport CA PC 038241.

A police summary of facts presented to the court says the second passport was a temporary replacement obtained by Kelman while in New Zealand.

In two subsequent trips to New Zealand - including his most recent arrival from Sydney to Auckland on QF155 on March 7 - Kelman travelled on his Israeli passport Il6938675.

On November 11 last year Kelman arrived in Auckland by Cathay Pacific the same day as Mr Barkan - whom a police summary describes as a "colleague of Kelman", travelling on a US passport.

The next day, Kelman's fellow defendant, Eli Cara, arrived on his Israeli passport Il 10098226

The purpose of the three visiting New Zealand at the same time was still not known, the police summary said.

Mr Mitchell said the computer printout of Cara's movements showed he travelled to Auckland six more times from his Sydney location before his March arrest. The police summary of facts indicates Cara has travelled to New Zealand 24 times in all since October 2000 using two Israeli passports, Il 8662450, and Il10098226, a replacement.

Mr Barkan also travelled in and out of Auckland twice more before leaving on March 20 - three days before Cara and Kelman were arrested.

Cara and Kelman have pleaded not guilty to three joint charges laid by Auckland police:

* Participating in a criminal group knowing that it is an organised criminal group and that participation contributed to the occurence of criminal activity, namely obtaining a document, namely a false New Zealand passport.

* Participating in a criminal group knowing that it was an organised criminal group and was reckless as to whether participation may contribute to the occurence of criminal activity, namely obtaining a false NZ passport.

* With intent to obtain any property and without claim of right, attempting to obtain a document, namely a New Zealand passport, capable of being used for service.