Israeli troops seize AFP contributor from his West Bank home, blindfolded

In brief

• Israeli troops detained Muhammad Atik, a freelance contributor to AFP, in a night raid on his home near Jenin.
• The army confirmed the arrest and said it suspects Atik has ties to Hamas, without giving details.
• AFP has demanded that Israeli authorities explain the detention and present evidence or release him.

Night raid near Jenin

Israeli troops detained Muhammad Atik, 34, a contributor who had supplied reporting to the French news agency AFP from the West Bank for about three years. According to his wife, soldiers came to the house around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, blindfolded him and led him away. (Vyrazili dvere, zaviazali mu oči. Izraelskí vojaci odviedli novinára spolupracujúceho s AFP – Pravda.sk) (Nočná razia: Izraelská armáda zatkla na Západnom brehu Jordánu spolupracovníka agentúry AFP – HNonline.sk) (Izraelské jednotky odviedli novinára AFP so zaviazanými očami z jeho domu – Aktuality.sk) The army confirmed the arrest and said it suspects Atik of ties to the militant group Hamas, without giving further details. It has not said where he is being held.

Conduct of the raid

Atik's wife said more than ten soldiers entered the house and searched it, while others waited outside. Troops broke down the door even though he had agreed to open it. They took two of his phones and threw his video camera onto the balcony. She said he was not allowed to take a winter jacket with him. She is reportedly about a month away from giving birth to the couple's first child.

AFP demands answers

AFP said it is deeply concerned about the detention. The agency asked Israeli authorities to explain clearly why Atik is being held and to present evidence, and said he should be released immediately if no such case is made.

What happens next

No charges have been announced, and his location and legal status remain unclear. Whether the army will release supporting evidence, as AFP has requested, has not been stated.