RPT-Israel frees cleric suspected of militant links
Source: Reuters
(Refiles to change day to Thursday from Wednesday in first paragraph) NABLUS, West Bank, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Israel on Thursday freed a Palestinian cleric who was deported by the United States over suspicions he assisted a militant group abroad, an Israeli security source said. Israel's daily Haaretz newspaper said Israel's Shin Bet security service concluded there were not sufficient grounds to charge the cleric, Fawaz Damra. Damra, 46, was arrested by authorities earlier this month at the Israeli-controlled Allenby crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, the Israeli security source told Reuters. "He was arrested on (suspicion) he worked in the service of Islamic Jihad abroad," the source said, referring to the Palestinian militant group, which is sworn to Israel's destruction. "He was released today and the recommendation was not to bring him to trial," the source added. The source did not give a reason for why he was not brought to trial. According to Damra's website, he had worked as a Muslim cleric in the United States for over 20 years but was forced to leave by U.S. authorities partly over alleged links to Islamic Jihad. On his website, Damra denied the charges. His brother, Nader Damra, told Reuters he had returned to the West Bank city of Nablus, where he was originally from, after being detained for 21 days by Israel. Nader Damra said his brother was no longer a U.S. citizen, but did not say why. Fawaz Damra was not available for direct comment. Haaretz reported that Damra was part of a group suspected of providing money and support to Islamic Jihad, which the United States lists as a terrorist organisation and blames for more than 100 deaths in Israel. Damra's brother declined comment on the allegations of links to Islamic Jihad.
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