US Muslim group: Israel detains American doctor visited Jenin refugee camp

A prominent US Muslim group claimed that Israel was illegally detaining an American doctor who had gone to help Palestinian victims of violence in the decimated Jenin refugee camp.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) said Monday Riad Abdelkarim, a physician from the Los Angeles area, was detained Sunday at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport while trying to return to the United States. According to Khalid Turaani of the Washington-based American Muslims for Jerusalem, Israeli authorities called his wife in California on Sunday and urged her to hire an attorney.

He was detained as he was returning to the United States "after witnessing the devastation caused by Israeli forces in the Jenin refugee camp, details of which he reported extensively on the Internet," MPAC said in a statement.

"In a shocking assault on International standards protecting medical relief workers, Israeli authorities have detained without charge several high-profile Americans," it added.

The U.S. State Department could not confirm the arrests, an official said. But a U.S. diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity to AP, confirmed the arrests and said consular officials in Israel were being given proper access.