When he was uncovered, Cohen was executed and secretly buried somewhere in Syria. Fifty-three years later, the hunt for the body of the Israeli hero continues.

In Sunday's 'Because It Matters', Newshub reveals that New Zealand spies have been investigating a lead with a Syrian refugee living in Auckland.

Khalid al-Hafidh, a man from the Auckland suburb of Glenfield, is the son of Amin al-Hafiz - the Syrian President who oversaw the execution of Cohen and the secret burial of his body.

"I am the son of the only person on this planet who knows where the remains are buried," Khalid told Newshub.

Spies from the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service [NZSIS] contacted Khalid two years ago.

"I was cooperating with the New Zealand Secret Intelligence Service in a mission with the Mossad of Israel to help find - to try to find - the remains of the Israeli spy Eli Cohen," Khalid told Newshub.

Mossad is Israel's infamous and powerful spy agency - that Cohen himself worked for.



It was believed that Khalid may have clues to the secret that his father had taken to the grave.

"You are about to hear about a story that nobody has ever heard before. No one," Khalid says.

"I did not want to do it for the money. I did not want to do it for Mossad. I wanted to do it for the wife and children of Eli Cohen."

Early last year, text messages sent from an SIS agent called "Carl" appear to show him brokering a deal. The agent said things such as:

"I have passed your response to our partners and am waiting [for] a reply."

"Ensure safety mechanisms are in place for your future."

It appears that Mossad was on the way, with one text saying: "Wait for our partners to arrive before making a decision."

Israel has gone to extreme lengths to retrieve Cohen's remains. His watch was somehow recovered in 2018.