Israel Finally Releases Detained American Journalist—With a Catch

Israel has released American journalist Jeremy Loffredo four days after arresting and detaining him for reporting on Iranian missile strikes in the country.

Still, the judge who ordered Loffredo’s release said that the journalist must remain in the country until October 20 to give investigators more time to bring forth additional charges or for further interrogation, his attorney Lea Tsemel told The Intercept. An Israeli news outlet also reported that police took Loffredo’s phone, jailbroke the device, and are searching it for more evidence.

Loffredo, an independent journalist working for The Grayzone, reported on where Iran’s missiles landed in Israel, including the Israel Defense Force’s Nevatim Air Base as well as an intelligence base, according to Israeli news site Ynetnews.

Loffredo’s charges included aiding the enemy during wartime and providing information to the enemy. He reported that Israel’s attacks on Gaza were launched from the Nevatim base and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private jet was located there.

Much of the information Loffredo reported on was similar to reports from Israeli media, as well as footage of where a missile landed feet away from Mossad headquarters. The arrest drew the attention of the U.S. government, and representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Israel attended a hearing at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court where police requested to extend his detention.

According to Tsemel, the charges against Loffredo carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or death. Israeli authorities argue that Loffredo’s reporting aids Iran in studying future targets. The IDF censor barred Israeli media from publishing the exact locations where Iran’s missiles landed.

“He published the information openly and fully, without attempting to hide anything. If this information constitutes aiding the enemy, many other journalists in Israel, including Israeli reporters, should also be arrested,” said Tsemel. “A spy would not have acted so publicly and transparently.”

Police in Israel argued for Loffredo to be detained for seven days, only to be overruled by a judge who ordered a one-day detention. On Thursday, a different judge ordered Loffredo’s release, and an Israeli journalist testified that Loffredo’s reporting did not violate the government censor, saying that Israel’s outlets had produced similar work. However, police filed a last-minute appeal late Thursday to keep Loffredo in custody.

On Friday morning, a district court judge finally ordered Loffredo’s release, citing a lack of evidence and stating that he doesn’t pose a threat, Tsemel said.

Israel’s year-long war in Gaza has killed at least 128 journalists and media workers, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Israel has refused to allow international journalists into the territory to report on the war. It seems the country might be afraid of what independent journalists might discover.