Israel Confirm Arrest of Iranian Reporter Over Alleged Terror Incitement

An Iranian journalist suspected of supporting terrorism has been arrested in Israel on Wednesday, local police announced.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – Israeli police confirmed the arrest of Bassam Safadi, a correspondent of the Iranian Arabic-language Al-Alam TV channel, an Israeli police spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"He is suspected of spreading information in support of a terrorist organization as well as inciting of violence and terrorism," the spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

Earlier in the day, the Al-Alam news channel said that Israel arrested Safadi, an Israeli citizen of the Arab origin, who lived in the Golan Heights region.

Police officers are said to have broken into his home, violently searched him, confiscated his camera and laptop. Safadi was reportedly sent to the Tzalmon prison in northern Israel, where he would be held at least until Sunday.

This is not the first time Israel arrests Al-Alam correspondents. In 2009, reporter Khodr Shahine and his assistant Mohammed Sarhan were sentenced to two months for their publications about the 2008-2009 Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip.