Israel will not abandon 'spy' says ex-boss

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN in Tel Aviv



The former boss of alleged Israeli spy Urie Kelman says he will not be "left wounded in the field" if he was on a special operation in New Zealand.

YTS Systems head Doron Stempler said yesterday that New Zealanders needed to "open their eyes" to the impact of terrorism.

Mr Stempler, a former high-ranking intelligence officer in the Israel Army, conceded that his country was operating well outside its borders in the fight against terrorism.

"Unfortunately we are suffering in Israel and we take a huge operation all over the world to reduce our casualties or whatever.

"I don't want anyone to suffer."

Mr Stempler said he was surprised that Kelman had been "charged with belonging to a criminal [group]" in New Zealand.

But he would not comment directly on the role Kelman had played since leaving YTS in 2002.

"I don't know what the mission was ... I heard it from the news."

Asked if Kelman was involved with Israeli intelligence units or Mossad, as alleged by Prime Minister Helen Clark, Mr Stempler said: "That's her say - I don't know."

"I'm not belonging to that. I don't know what they are doing - I think that they are doing good for the country."

He suggested that if Kelman had been on an operation for Israel, the Israeli Government would look after him when he returned home.

"They won't leave him wounded in the field."

YTS Systems is based in Tel Aviv and has about 20 employees, some of them former members of a crack Army intelligence unit.

Kelman worked for the company between 1999 and 2002, marketing products and services in Israel and internationally, according to a letter YTS provided to the High Court at Auckland before his sentencing.

The company's website says it is involved in anti-terrorism work and provides high-tech surveillance systems. It has fitted out a number of embassies worldwide.

YTS was set up in 1987 by Mr Stempler and co-founder Tal Berman. The latter served in a top-secret intelligence unit of the Israeli defence forces, where he was responsible for developing and constructing "smart" electronic equipment for special missions and field operations, according to the website.

Mr Stempler is said to have attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and headed the technical branch of the Army's Intelligence Observations Department.

He told the Weekend Herald that he was not part of Mossad.

Before his arrest, Kelman told acquaintances he was a bugging specialist contracted to a private security firm that planned to set up a Sydney branch.

Mr Stempler said YTS had no involvement in either New Zealand or Australia, but employees went overseas on assignments.

Kelman "was one of my best employees", he said.

Kelman, like other YTS employees, covered the gamut of private intelligence work, from personal security to electronic operations.

"I try to teach them to do everything."

Mr Stempler has also been associated with international security firm Lapidgm, where he is listed as a technical engineer.