WikiLeaks cable: NZ's largest fraud case
This is one of the diplomatic cables about New Zealand held by Wikileaks.
November 1, 2004 SUBJECT: CONVICTIONS IN NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST PASSPORT FRAUD CASE
Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KATHERINE B. HADDA,
FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D)
1. (U) In what media reports have called the largest passport forgery case of its kind in New Zealand, two refugees to
New Zealand, Iraqi Fahad Jaber AJEIL (age 29) and Kuwaiti Riyad Hamied SULTAN (age 29), were found guilty October 21 of
conspiring to commit forgery. The prosecution accused the men of producing hundreds of fraudulent passports and other
falsified travel documents from 17 countries, including the United States, Liberia, Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, El
Salvador and Yemen. During the case, investigators claimed that 50 passports or travel documents had already been
delivered. In addition to conspiracy, Ajeil was also found guilty on 13 other counts, including possession of items
capable of forging documents. Ajeil and Sultan will be sentenced in December.
2. (U) A third individual, Kuwaiti Dr. Salam ABU-SHAABAN was identified as the ring-leader of the forgery plot, and was
named in the conspiracy charge in absentia. Although the NZ Police have not spoken with Abu-Shaaban, he contacted NZ
National Radio by telephone from Kuwait. In the interview, Abu-Shaaban not only denied any involvement in a forgery
ring, but also denied being Kuwaiti, claiming to be from Lebanon. Evidence of his involvement was found by the NZ
Police's Metro Special Investigation unit, after they were able to translate Arabic documents found on the computers of
Ajeil and Sultan. Evidence was given in the trial that Abu-Shaaban claimed to be the consul for six or seven nations,
and issued passports for a number of countries, all claims that he denies.
3. (SBU) During the case the defense counsel drew parallels between the Prime Minister's handling of this case and of a
recent case involving two Israeli citizens deported for attempting to falsely procure a New Zealand passport (reftel).
The lawyer claimed that Prime Minister Helen Clark refused to pressure the Kuwaiti Government for information related to
Abu-Shaaban due to the multi-million dollar trade in sheep with Kuwait, noting that by contrast NZ and Israel have
minimal trade linkages. Defense counsel also tried to paint the men as altruistic individuals trying to provide
passports for stateless Bedouins living between Iraq and Kuwait, but the prosecution dismissed this claim of charity,
citing the money taken for production of the passports.
4. (C) NZ law enforcement indicated to Post that they were unable to find any ties to terrorist organizations or
activities by Ajeil, Sultan and Abu-Shaaban. It is likely that the men were involved in these activities solely for
personal monetary gain.
Swindells
ENDS