House Probers Seek Israeli Aid in Iran Inquiry

The House select committee investigating the Iran arms- contra aid scandal is negotiating with the Israeli government to obtain its cooperation in the probe, the committee chairman said Thursday.

Rep. Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.) said also that the committee is subpoenaing hundreds of documents, including intelligence intercepts from the super-secret National Security Agency and possibly personal date books of Cabinet-level officials.

Hamilton, known for his aversion to playing partisan politics, discounted criticism from some Republicans on the committee that the panel is moving slowly in order to create political problems for President Reagan.

“We are anxious to move ahead, but only after careful preparation,” he said in an interview with a group of reporters.

Hamilton said the committee is holding discussions with the government of Israel “and other foreign sources” to seek voluntary cooperation in its investigation because foreign nationals are out of the committee’s subpoena power jurisdiction.