- New Zealand police and security officials suspect that
two other suspects in the Mossad passport affair have fled to Israel. The
first is Ze'ev Barkan, who is thought to have masterminded the botched
Mossad operation to acquire New Zealand passports. It was disclosed last
week that Barkan had served in diplomatic posts at Israeli embassies in
Austria and Belgium.
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- The second figure whose name was disclosed this weekend
was Anthony David Reznick. New Zealand television on Friday said Reznick
is a 36 year old religious Jew who worked as a paramedic for an ambulance
company that provided services to handicapped youth.
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- Mossad agents allegedly first tried to produce a forged
passport in Reznick's name. New Zealand authorities suspect Reznick brought
the agents to a handicapped person and suggested his name would be preferable
for the forged passport scheme.
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- Reznick reportedly lived in Israel for 13 years, and
served in the IDF. After returning to New Zealand, he served as a member
of Auckland's Jewish council. Reports say he recently expressed a desire
to return to Israel, where he met his wife - but whether she is an Israeli
citizen is unclear.
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- Reznick, who also lectured on emergency medical services
at the Auckland Institute of Technology, left New Zealand for Hong Kong
the day after the two Israeli Mossad agents, Uri Kelman and Elisha Cara,
were arrested. They were later sentenced to six months in jail and fined.
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- Reznick told his students he was traveling to take care
of a friend who had been injured in a road accident but he never returned
to work. A short time later he sent an e-mail message to his employers
telling them he was leaving and would be unable to return to New Zealand
for health reasons.
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- If it is established that Reznick facilitated a Mossad
operation, his engagement for such work would be in line with Mossad methods
of operation. Many reports suggest the Mossad often relies on helpers around
the world as it carries out its missions - many of these are Jewish. Among
other things, helpers would provide help with accommodation for those on
operations, as well as relaying information.
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- However, since the arrest of Jonathan Pollard in the
United States in the mid 1980s, the Mossad had reportedly minimized its
use of foreign Jewish helpers. The concern was that the unmasking of helpers
in botched intelligence operations could generate accusations of divided
loyalty against Jews in their home countries.
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