Israeli's Sydney travel agency can't be found

By GREG ANSLEY

CANBERRA - The travel agency alleged Israeli spy Eli Cara claims to operate in Sydney does not exist - or if it does, it is operating illegally.

Cara, 50, and Urie Zoshe Kelman are on bail on charges of attempting to fraudulently obtain a New Zealand passport.

Cara, who rented a large home in Turramurra on Sydney's North Shore in 2001, told New Zealand authorities he was a travel agent.

Telephone calls to his home yesterday were accepted by a machine answering as "Eastward Bound", on which Cara also identifies himself.

No one returned the Herald's calls, although Cara is understood to be living in Sydney with his wife and several children.

Under New South Wales law all travel agents must be registered with the Department of Fair Trading.

No record of Eastward Bound could be found by the department yesterday.

Before they can operate as a registered business, travel agents must also belong to the Australia-wide Travel Compensation Fund.

The fund ensures agents have sufficient money behind them and requires compulsory annual renewal to be supported by audited financial statements. Neither Eli Cara nor Eastward Bound is listed at the fund.

Eastward Bound is not listed in Sydney's White or Yellow Pages, nor on other related databases.

Travel agents in Turramurra were also mystified yesterday by Cara and his alleged agency.

"I've never heard of it at all," said Kim Bourke of Turramurra Travel Associates. "It's not a name or a product I've ever come across, and we've been here for 15 years."

Chris Soupidis, of Blue Dolphin Travel, also said he had not heard of Cara or Eastward Bound. "I've never come across him," he said.