Rudd expresses concerns about Zygier case

6 Mar 2013, 6:07 pm   -   Source: AAP

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Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says he has no recollection of being told about the Ben Zygier case and is concerned about how it was handled.

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Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has expressed serious concerns about Australia's handling of the murky case of Melbourne man and suspected Israeli spy Ben Zygier.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Wednesday released a review which identified a number of failings in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) handling of the case.

Senator Carr ordered the review last month, shortly after Mr Zygier was named as Israel's mysterious "Prisoner X".

A dual citizen of Australia and Israel, My Zygier was detained for alleged Israeli national security offences in January 2010 and died in a supposedly suicide-proof cell 11 months later.

It's believed he worked for Israeli spy agency Mossad.

Mr Rudd told AAP on Wednesday through a spokesman he had no recollection of ever being briefed on the case by DFAT or anyone else.

Mr Rudd was prime minister when Mr Zygier was arrested and foreign minister when he died.

He says he was not even told prior to, or during, a visit to Israel from December 12 to 14, 2010, when he had meetings with the Israeli prime minister and foreign minister.

"Mr Rudd's general practice as foreign minister was to raise consular cases of concern to DFAT in meetings with relevant ministers of foreign governments," his spokesman told AAP in a statement.

"That our ambassador to Israel was not made aware of this case until after Mr Zygier's death is of concern.

"That the then foreign minister (Stephen) Smith was not briefed on this as a consular matter is also of concern."

Mr Smith, now the defence minister, also says he has no recollection of being briefed on the matter by DFAT, ASIO or any of his staff.

Mr Zygier - also known as Ben Alon and Ben Allen - trained as a lawyer in Melbourne but moved to Israel in 2000.

Seven days after he was found hanged in his cell at age 34, his body was flown back to Melbourne, where he is buried in a Jewish cemetery.

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Your Comments

Let it go

Imalert - from Brisbane, 3 months ago

All the Israeli haters trying to stir up hatred, garanteed to be the greens agenda

No questions answered

phw - from canberra, 3 months ago

Although credible, the question is not whether Kevin Rudd was told about the “Zygier case”, but what Zygier knew(!) about the Israeli identity thefts and subsequent murder under Australian identities; a knowledge that must have passed to the PM and prompted him to expel an Israeli “diplomat”. No question has been answered by the vague and predictable outcome of the DFAT “inquiry”.

More publicity Kevin?

Greg - from North Adelaide, 3 months ago

I can't believe that Kevin Rudd is using this issue for his relentless need to be seen.

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