AL-JAZEERA journalist Ahmed Mansour who was detained in Germany on Saturday on an Egyptian arrest warrant, was released from custody yesterday.

Berlin prosecutors’ office spokesman Stefan Stoehr confirmed that Mr Mansour “is free,” but he was unable to provide any more details.

A dual Egyptian-British citizen, he was convicted in absentia in Egypt on charges that his lawyers and journalist groups dismiss as politically motivated.

Lawyer Patrick Teubner said that it was his understanding that there were no strings attached to his client’s release and that there were no further charges or legal matters pending against him in Germany.

“I think that was absolutely the right decision. There was no other alternative,” he declared.

German Justice Ministry spokesman Piotr Malachowski explained that Mr Mansour had been picked up on the basis of a request from Interpol.

It had gone through his ministry and the Foreign Ministry before being passed routinely to federal police.