Beirut, Aug. 11 (Reuters): Lebanese authorities detained British-based radical Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed today, just days after he arrived in Beirut from London, Lebanese security officials said.

The officials said Bakri was detained by a force from the General Security Directorate (GSD) after he left the news studios of Future Television in Beirut.

A source said he had taped an interview and was heading to another Arab satellite television for another interview when he was picked up.

A GSD spokesman confirmed the detention but refused to comment on the reason. Future Television reported that Bakri was being questioned about how he entered Lebanon.

“Sheikh Bakri was picked up by security forces as he was on his way to a local television station for an interview,” a security source said. Bakri, who is Syrian-born, left Britain on Saturday after the British government pledged to silence radical Islamists as part of measures taken after last month’s bombings in London.

Bakri, who has lived in Britain for 20 years, used to live in Lebanon and holds Lebanese citizenship. He said on Tuesday he was merely taking a holiday and planned to return to Britain. Associates had said earlier he would not go back.