A Government investigation is now underway, looking at the source of Fairfax Media stories alleging police and the SIS were reviewing the activities of Israelis involved in the February Christchurch earthquake.
According to a Fairfax Media outlet, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister says the Security Intelligence Service is looking at the suggestion that information was provided to the media by an SIS officer.
Prime Minister John Key initially refused to comment in detail on the story, saying it was not in the "national interest".
However, he later went back on his initial statement, but said police and the SIS had found no link and said the Israelis were innocent backpackers.
Mr Key said intelligence was suspicious over the quick manner in which the surviving Israelis had fled.
Four occupants of a white van, crushed by a concrete pillar in Gloucester Street, drew the attention of the SIS in the hours following the deadly quake.
One of the van’s occupants, Ofer Mizrahi, was killed by falling concrete but the other three tourists – Michal Fraidman, Guy Jordan and Liron Sade – fled.
Southland Times editor Fred Tulett spent months researching the Israelis, and says they “managed to essentially smash their way out” of the van.
He says they made their way to Latimer Square, where an emergency centre had been set up, and “essentially… went to see the Rabi”.
Today, the Embassy of Israel in New Zealand refuted allegations that an Israeli national killed in the earthquake was a spy.
In a statement released this afternoon, the embassy “completely rejects the media-reported claims and allegations made against Israeli nationals, who were victims of the tragic earthquake”.
The statement also says “New Zealand officials have reaffirmed that none of these individuals were involved in wronging of any description”.
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