Israel's Shin Bet security agency denied Wednesday that its agents threatened prominent American author Reza Aslan and questioned him about his politics during a recent visit.
Aslan tweeted Tuesday that he had been interrogated by the Shin Bet for several hours, that the agent interrogating him threatened that he might not see his children for a long time, and that he was asked political questions and told to name Palestinians and journalists he associated with.
"I was floored," he tweeted. "This was my fourth trip to Israel in 10 years and every time it's gotten worse. It's becoming unrecognizable as a democracy. It is becoming a full-blown police state."
The Shin Bet issued a statement Wednesday confirming that its agents briefly detained and questioned the Iranian-born Aslan at a border crossing, saying his "behavior there raised suspicion."
The agency adamantly denied Aslan's claim that he was questioned about his politics.
Aslan's allegations surfaced after prominent American Jewish commentator Peter Beinart was detained at Ben-Gurion International Airport earlier this week and asked about his politics before being allowed to enter the country.
Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit has ordered a review of the procedures that led to Beinart's questioning, which the Shin Bet attributed to an "administrative error."
