"First of all, I'm on vacation here," Mattysse said. "I'm not a spy. I've given no classified information to anybody."

Israeli authorities confirmed that Mattysse has applied to immigrate to the Jewish state.

But first, he will have to explain his conduct to the United States.

Joe Hanley, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Reserve, said Mattysse — who had been missing since Aug. 7 — is charged with being absent without leave, desertion and conduct unbecoming an officer.

Hanley added that authorities will decide whether to court marital Mattysse, who will be reassigned to Fort Knox in Kentucky.

Until February, Mattysse worked in a management position at a Texas army intelligence center.

He was reassigned to a U.S. Army Reserve group in San Antonio after an investigation was launched into a possible extramarital affair.

The San Antonio Express-News reported that Mattysse's wife filed for divorce on March 7. An attorney for Vanda Mattysse said a divorce is pending.

His disappearance was of heightened concern because of his intelligence background, said Hanley.

Nir contended that Mattysse was in Israel since the beginning of August, moving around disguised with a beard and wig and sleeping in a tent.

The incident was splashed across all of Israel's papers over the weekend, with the tabloid Yediot Achronot dedicating a seven-page spread to the story.

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