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There are reports the SIS has been carrying out a full audit of the police national computer system following concerns it may have been hacked by Israeli spies.
The issue only came to light in the aftermath of the February earthquake in Christchurch, when intelligence services became concerned about the activities of several groups of Israelis, the Southland Times reports.
Three Israelis died in the quake, and one of them is said to have been found carrying at least five passports.
He was Ofer Mizrahi who was crushed by falling masonry in a parked van in Gloucester Street. His three compatriots, who were also in the vehicle, managed to escape. Within 12 hours of the quake they had met with Israeli officials and left the country the Southland Times says.
Veteran journalist Fred Tulett, who edits the Southland Times and unearthed the story, told Radio New Zealand today : "I spoke to the Israeli ambassador last week and he confirmed to me that he took them to the airport so obviously it was organised at a quite high level".
The incident attracted high level interest from Israel, with its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly making four calls to his Kiwi counterpart John Key that day. The Israeli ambassador for the South Pacific flew into Christchurch to visit the morgue and an Israel urban search and rescue squad was flown in.
However, the search and rescue squad did not have the correct accreditation and their offer of help was rejected by New Zealand authorities after they had arrived in the country.
Members of the squad were later discovered in the cordoned off area in the city centre, and were removed by armed New Zealand officers.
A forensic analysis team was also flown in from Israel to help with the identification of quake victims, and their help was readily received.
However, the SIS grew suspicious and once it was realised the group would have access to the national police computer system a full audit was ordered.
"We were concerned that could have happened," an SIS officer told the Southland Times.
The officer said it would only take a few minutes for a programme to be uploaded onto the system which could give spies remote access to the database that contains criminal records.
"We carried out an urgent audit. If it had been done it would eventually have given the Israelis access to all of our intelligence.
"It all looks suspicious, but a lot of what the Israelis do raises suspicion. So lots of smoke but we haven't found any fires. The file remains open though."
Tulett told Radio New Zealand that whether any of the Israelis were spies or not was "suspicion rather than certainty".
"My information is that the SIS became suspicious of so many unusual things related to various Israeli groups in Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the quake in Christchurch," he told Radio NZ.
"A group of forensic scientists was sent by the Israel government and welcomed in Christchurch, but the SAS later became suspicious that they could have had the opportunity to access the national police computer so they organised an audit of the system to see if they could find anything embedded in there."
He said the issue was concerning because the Americans, for example, have discovered malware that has the ability to glean all of a country's security data.
The Israeli ambassador for the South Pacific, Shemi Tzur, is currently in Tonga but last week told Tulett his claims were "science fiction". He said the Israelis were young holidaymakers enjoying the country.
But Tulett says he also finds it unusual that despite Ofer Mizrahi being described as popular in his homeland, a Facebook tribute page following his death has only received five comments.
ONE News is in the process of making contact with Prime Minister John Key to ask him about the claims made in the Fairfax article.
Israeli killed in Chch quake had five passports | NATIONAL News
The issue only came to light in the aftermath of the February earthquake in Christchurch, when intelligence services became concerned about the activities of several groups of Israelis, the Southland Times reports.
Three Israelis died in the quake, and one of them is said to have been found carrying at least five passports.
He was Ofer Mizrahi who was crushed by falling masonry in a parked van in Gloucester Street. His three compatriots, who were also in the vehicle, managed to escape. Within 12 hours of the quake they had met with Israeli officials and left the country the Southland Times says.
Veteran journalist Fred Tulett, who edits the Southland Times and unearthed the story, told Radio New Zealand today : "I spoke to the Israeli ambassador last week and he confirmed to me that he took them to the airport so obviously it was organised at a quite high level".
The incident attracted high level interest from Israel, with its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly making four calls to his Kiwi counterpart John Key that day. The Israeli ambassador for the South Pacific flew into Christchurch to visit the morgue and an Israel urban search and rescue squad was flown in.
However, the search and rescue squad did not have the correct accreditation and their offer of help was rejected by New Zealand authorities after they had arrived in the country.
Members of the squad were later discovered in the cordoned off area in the city centre, and were removed by armed New Zealand officers.
A forensic analysis team was also flown in from Israel to help with the identification of quake victims, and their help was readily received.
However, the SIS grew suspicious and once it was realised the group would have access to the national police computer system a full audit was ordered.
"We were concerned that could have happened," an SIS officer told the Southland Times.
The officer said it would only take a few minutes for a programme to be uploaded onto the system which could give spies remote access to the database that contains criminal records.
"We carried out an urgent audit. If it had been done it would eventually have given the Israelis access to all of our intelligence.
"It all looks suspicious, but a lot of what the Israelis do raises suspicion. So lots of smoke but we haven't found any fires. The file remains open though."
Tulett told Radio New Zealand that whether any of the Israelis were spies or not was "suspicion rather than certainty".
"My information is that the SIS became suspicious of so many unusual things related to various Israeli groups in Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the quake in Christchurch," he told Radio NZ.
"A group of forensic scientists was sent by the Israel government and welcomed in Christchurch, but the SAS later became suspicious that they could have had the opportunity to access the national police computer so they organised an audit of the system to see if they could find anything embedded in there."
He said the issue was concerning because the Americans, for example, have discovered malware that has the ability to glean all of a country's security data.
The Israeli ambassador for the South Pacific, Shemi Tzur, is currently in Tonga but last week told Tulett his claims were "science fiction". He said the Israelis were young holidaymakers enjoying the country.
But Tulett says he also finds it unusual that despite Ofer Mizrahi being described as popular in his homeland, a Facebook tribute page following his death has only received five comments.
ONE News is in the process of making contact with Prime Minister John Key to ask him about the claims made in the Fairfax article.
Israeli killed in Chch quake had five passports | NATIONAL News
