One of three Palestinian Americans arrested by Israel last month for alleged involvement with the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas has been freed.
Mohammed Omar, an American citizen who lives in a West Bank village near Ramallah, was released Thursday after a military judge ordered the army to set him free after a court hearing.
At the time of Omar’s arrest, Israeli authorities said he was an active member of a Hamas gang operating in the West Bank.
But Omar, who spent 20 days in detention, never had formal charges brought against him. The army did not explain Thursday why the court ordered his release.
At his home in the West Bank village of Beit Naballah, Omar said: “The reason they let me go is that I am innocent. There is no evidence whatsoever against me.”
He also said on television that his interrogators used psychological pressure and at one point slapped him.
Earlier in the week, the United States had formally complained to Israel about delays in providing Omar and two other arrested Arab Americans with access to lawyers and American consular officials.
Israel had responded by saying it was “giving full and serious consideration” to the American requests.
In Washington, diplomatic officials said they were aware of Omar’s release and would continue to monitor the situation.
The other two American citizens still in prison have been accused by Israel of coming to Jerusalem in order to funnel money to Hamas and revitalize the movement after many of its leaders were deported to southern Lebanon last December.
The two men who remain in detention, Mohammed Abdul Hamid Salah, 39 and known as Abu Ahmed, and Joma Hilmi Jarad, 36 and known as Abu Anas, came here in mid-January from the United States, allegedly with the intention of distributing $650,000 to local activists.
Police found $100,000 of cash in Abu Ahmed’s possession.
With their funds, Abu Ahmed and Abu Anas were apparently planning to recruit more Palestinian youth to the military wings of the movement.
Last week, a military judge ordered the detention of Abu Ahmed and Abu Anas extended for two weeks. They too have not been charged with any crime.
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