"We arrested him when he travelled to Bethlehem despite the restrictions imposed on him," said spokemsan Shmuel Ben Ruby. "He had with him a Father Christmas hat."

Vanunu, 50, converted to Christianity during 18 years' imprisonment imposed after he leaked details of Israel's secret nuclear arsenal to a British weekly newspaper.

Since his release last April, he has spent most of his time at Jerusalem's St George's Anglican cathedral.

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