The man arrested by Israeli security forces in the West Bank on Saturday is a peace activist from Belfast, it has been reported.
According to RTE News, who named the man, he was travelling on a legitimate British passport at the time of his arrest and was entering Palestinian territories in the West Bank to join a peace campaign.
The report indicated that the man, in his 30s, is a well-known Irish-language enthusiast, who lives in Belfast. His friends deny he is a member, as was alleged, of the "Real IRA".
The man is still being questioned by the Israeli authorities. However, if charges against him are not pro-offered, he is expected to be released later this afternoon, Irish time.
It was earlier reported that a British security services tip-off had led to the arrest of the man.
The Israeli government is not responding to questions about the case, but it is understood British intelligence had informed them of the man's presence.
He apparently arrived three weeks ago as a tourist on a British passport at Tel Aviv's main Ben-Gurion airport. Israeli sources said he entered the Palestinian territories shortly afterwards.
The hunt for him accelerated last week, and on Saturday roadblocks were set up around Ramallah in a bid to catch him.
Late last night, Israel's Channel One, a State-run Israeli television station, reported the man had been arrested north of Jerusalem and that the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, was interrogating him.
The report said the authorities did not believe he had engaged in bomb-making in recent years.
Sources have told The Irish Timesthat in addition to being interrogated by the Israelis, the man is being sought by the British authorities.
They said that if the Israelis find no evidence he was involved in any wrongdoing in areas under their control, he will be handed over to the British.
There is speculation that dissident republicans may have been trying to sell their expertise in bomb-making, particularly mortar bombs, to Palestinian factions.