Bahrain releases top blogger after US criticism

Manama: Bahraini authorities on Friday released popular Internet blogger Mahmoud Al Yousuf whose arrest drew criticism from the US State Department, the official news agency BNA said.

A government spokesman cited by BNA said Yousuf was questioned on Thursday but gave no further details on his case.

The United States has criticised the arrest, while also renewing its condemnation of violence the country where anti-government broke out in mid-February.

"We're deeply concerned about his arrest. He's a prominent and respected blogger," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, said on Wednesday.

"We're also concerned about reports of the detention of two other Internet activists who have expressed their views on recent events in Bahrain," Toner said.

"We hope that the Bahraini government's decision to arrest bloggers and Internet activists will not make it more difficult to resume a national dialogue," he said.

Yousuf, who is also known as the "Blogfather," himself tweeted early on Wednesday from his home that he was being arrested.

His blog, "Mahmood's Den," describes itself as: "an Arab man's attempt at bridging the cultural gap. Trying to make a difference, failing a lot, succeeding once in a while".

On Wednesday, Opposition leader Ali Salman told a press conference that about 300 arrests have been made since March 16 when security forces crushed a camp in central Manama set up by pro-democracy demonstrators.

At least 24 people, including four policemen, were killed in a month of protests, according to Bahraini officials. Toner said US officials "condemn the violence against civilians and peaceful protesters" in Bahrain.