Legal documents released Monday show that Israel has been secretly holding a suspected al-Qaeda activist without trial for more than three years, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
In the documents, Israeli security told the high court that the "al-Qaeda activist," Samer al-Barq, "is [with] the global terror group al-Qaida, with extensive knowledge in non-conventional arms, especially biological weapons".
The document further went on to justify his detention without trial on the grounds that he "would significantly boost the development of 'global jihad' infrastructure in the region if freed."
Israel's "administrative detention" policy allows the state to imprison suspects without trial under a military court order which can be renewed indefinitely.
Barq was imprisoned in Jordan between 2003-2008 for "terror activity," according to the document, and was arrested by Israel at the Allenby border crossing on July 11, 2010. His petition for release was due to be heard on Monday.
