Al-Jazeera bureau chief arrested in Israel

The Guardian

Samer Allawi, Al-Jazeera's Kabul bureau chief, is unde arrested in Israel. He was detained last Tuesday after crossing the border between Jordan and the West Bank at the conclusion of a three-week vacation in his home town near Nablus.

The Israeli authorities originally informed Allawi's family that he would be held for four days for questioning, saying that it was a "security-related arrest."

Last Thursday, the authorities told Al-Jazeera that Allawi's detention would be extended to eight days.

Allawi's lawyer has since been told that his client will appear before an Israeli military judge later today.

Local human rights and press freedom groups have released statements condemning Allawi's arrest and calling for his immediate release.

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists