Israel helps search for U.S. intelligence officer

TEL AVIV - Israel has agreed to help search for a senior U.S. military officer who is believed to have defected to the Jewish state.

The search is for Lt. Col. Jeremiah Mattysse, a senior reserve intelligence officer who converted to Judaism and failed to return to his base at the U.S. Army Intelligence Support Center in Camp Bullis. Israeli sources said Mattysse commanded a secret base in Texas whose unit had access to classified information produced by the CIA and other intelligence agencies.

The sources said the United States regards this as a criminal matter. They said Mattysse, 49, has been charged in a military court with desertion, absence without leave and conduct unbecoming an officer after failing to return to duty a little more than a week ago. They said Mattysse is believed to have joined the Habad hasidic group after he converted to Judaism last year.

"We have reason to believe he is in Israel and we have asked the Israeli government to help us return him to the U.S.," U.S. Embassy spokesman Larry Schwartz said.

A friend of Mattysse said he was spirited out of Israel to Syria. But Israeli sources have assessed that Mattysse remains in the country.

"I received a telephone call that he is in Damascus and doesn't know what to do there," girlfriend Ricky Nir said. "He left in disguise wearing a wig, moustache and a beard. He is always changing his disguise."

Ms. Nir said three staffers from the U.S. Embassy visited her home in Kfar Saba and took material sent by Mattysse while a military attache asked her to fly to San Antonio for questioning. She said Mattysse was fired from his post after he became Orthodox.

U.S. officials said Mattysse is not accused of having illegal ties with Israel. But Ms. Nir said Mattysse tried to help Israel with intelligence information.