Terror link to NZ passports seized in Bangkok

By BRIDGET CARTER, REBECCA WALSH and NZPA

Eleven fake New Zealand passports seized in Bangkok may be linked to al Qaeda terrorists and human traffickers in Europe, say Thai police.

A sting operation by police netted a Thai man and a Pakistani man for allegedly producing forged passports, says the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Crime Suppression Division commander Kosin Hinthao said New Zealand police had identified the passport identification numbers as similar to those used by human traffickers and al Qaeda terrorists in Europe.

"Many terrorists arrested earlier in Europe had travelled to several nations carrying fake passports with such serial numbers," Major-General Kosin said.

New Zealand's police liaison officer in Bangkok, Mike Bush, told the Herald last night that an investigation was being made.

He could not comment on any link with al Qaeda.

Mr Bush said he became aware that false New Zealand and other national passports were available in Bangkok, and carried out two operations in conjunction with Thai police.

He said the sting operations had taken the false passports off the streets.

"I know today there is no way you could buy a false New Zealand passport in Bangkok and no one would sell them," he said.

"They are what you call "too hot" after these two operations."

The two men arrested this week were both central to the black-market operation, but they were not alone, said Mr Bush.

New Zealand is reviewing its passport security after two Israeli men were arrested here for fraudulently trying to obtain New Zealand passports.

The Thai discovery followed the detention a month ago of a Pakistani who was found with fake New Zealand passports.

New Zealand passports are valuable to criminal gangs because the country has a low profile, the passports are high-quality and New Zealand has visa-free status with a number of countries.

The faked passports all had serial numbers beginning with N379.


In the sting operation, the two men allegedly tried to sell fake passports to plainclothes police at an apartment.

They were arrested with 23 fake passports.

Eleven were forged New Zealand documents and 10 were French.

The other two were Belgian and Spanish.

The two men, named as Decha Kaeoprakhong, 31, and Mohammad Iqbal, 36, were arrested in an area of Bangkok - lower Sukhumvit Rd - frequented by overseas Muslims visiting Thailand.

Iqbal, a garment exporter, denied producing the fake passports.

He told the Bangkok Post he had been in Thailand for three years, exported clothing to Karachi, and had a Thai wife and two children.

Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network is blamed for attacks in Europe, the Middle East and United States, including the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, and the Madrid bombings last month.

New Zealand's Ambassador to Thailand, Peter Rider, said last night: "I can confirm that two people were arrested on Monday - a Thai and a Pakistani, suspected of forging New Zealand passports. They had 23 passports; eleven were New Zealand ones."

He could not go into details of the individual cases as the matter was now before the Thai courts.

"A New Zealand passport is a valuable document," he said.

"You can get visa-free access to a lot of countries with it.

"It's important we work with other law enforcement agencies to prevent forgeries circulating around."

Internal Affairs Minister George Hawkins, whose department issues passports, said last night: "This shows what a good sting operation this was ... Of course we are concerned but also very pleased with the way the operation was handled."

A spokesman for Prime Minister Helen Clark said she did not know of the Thai reports.

Thailand has increased efforts to stop the production of fake passports in the country, especially after the September 11 terror attacks.

In early 2002, more than 40 foreigners were arrested in raids on two dozen locations in Bangkok linked with the production and sale of forged passports.

The Department of Internal Affairs' manager of passports, David Philp, said that within 12 to 18 months NZ passports would contain a microchip with a digitised photograph and personal details.

Mr Philp said this month that New Zealand's passport system was very secure, and the number of people found with false passports or found misusing passports was low.

Internal Affairs communications manager Colin Feslier said New Zealand passports were highly regarded overseas.

"The New Zealand passport, because it has good security features, is widely accepted throughout the world. It is regarded as a high-quality passport by other countries and for that reason it will be targeted by people who want to use it for criminal purposes.

"The fact that these have been identified so quickly as fake passports is probably a result of the security features built into the New Zealand passport."

Suspected al Qaeda terror attacks

Feb 1993 - First bombing of World Trade Centre, New York - six dead.

Aug 1998 - US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania bombed - 224 dead.

Sept 2001 - Destruction of World Trade Centre and attack on Pentagon - 2752 dead.

Oct 2002 - Bali nightclub bombings - 202 dead, including three New Zealanders.

Aug 2003 - Suicide car-bomb outside Marriott Hotel, Jakarta - 12 dead.

Nov 2003 - Two synagogues, British consulate and HSBC Bank bombed in Istanbul, Turkey - 61 dead.