Israel Took Secret Info on Arabs

WASHINGTON -- The classified military documents Israel allegedly obtained from accused spy Jonathan Jay Pollard dealt with moderate Arab governments and included radar-jamming techniques and other electronic data, an informed U.S. official said yesterday.

The documents dealt with Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other "friendly" Arab governments, detailing their military capabilities as well as their methods of countering terrorism, the official said.

While U.S. counterintelligence information on Libya and other radical regimes is shared with Israel under the strategic cooperation and other agreements, U.S. assistance to Arab countries considered friendly to the United States generally is withheld, the official said.

Israel thus was able to obtain data not available through normal U.S. channels, said the official, who insisted on anonymity.

Israel has apologized publicly for the espionage "to the extent that it did take place." It also has said that if an investigation confirms it, the unit involved will be disbanded. It is believed to operate out of the defense ministry.

An Israeli source here said, meanwhile, "no one was spying on the United States. If there was anything it was to gather information on others."

As part of a deal worked out in a lengthy telephone exchange last weekend between Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, the documents are to be returned to the United States and the FBI will be permitted to interview two Israeli diplomats recalled in the scandal.

By retrieving the material, intelligence experts can flesh out how bits and pieces of U.S. secrets are evaluated and used by even a friendly country, the official said.

Israel's cooperation now also will provide clues of where the leaks are in a U.S. intelligence system shaken by disclosure of its vulnerability to spying.