Passport fraud accused back in court, but details suppressed

1.00pm

Secrecy continued to surround two men with suspected links to the Israeli secret service when they reappeared in court today.

Urie Zoshe Kelman, 30, and Eli Cara, 50, who are facing passport and fraud charges, stood in the dock at the High Court in Auckland for a callover hearing, details of which were suppressed by Justice Judith Potter.

The two men denied the charges through their lawyer but Justice Potter suppressed detail of pre-trial applications and matters relating to their continued bail.

Both men are due back in court next month for a further callover.

The two men have been linked with the Israeli Secret Service organisation Mossad and were arrested in Auckland last month and charged with fraudulently trying to obtain a New Zealand passport.

A third man facing similar allegations is reported to have left the country and a fourth man is thought to be hiding in New Zealand.

The case raised international interest after reports linked the pair to Mossad.

Last month acting Foreign Affairs Minister Jim Sutton was quoted as saying it appeared the two men were "representatives of the Israeli government".

The case has also raised concerns within the New Zealand Government which announced last month it would review passport security.

The case has attracted wide interest in Israel with one newspaper saying Cara had "left Israel on a mission to New Zealand".

During the hearing the lawyer for Cara, Stuart Grieve, QC, told the court he was on a private retainer.

After the hearing the two men refused to leave the court until newspaper photographers and television cameramen had left.

They were reported to have changed out of their dark blue suits into casual clothes inside the court.

- NZPA