A British student has described how we was kidnapped at gunpoint and kept in a bomb shelter by Israeli settlers.

Finn Joughin, 22, was ‘dragged away’ and ‘put in a chokehold’ as he tried to protect the Palestinian village of Umm Al-Khair in the West Bank on Saturday.

The student activist claims he was held against his will and accused of false crimes by settlers and Israeli police.

Finn arrived back in London yesterday after being deported by the authorities following the terrifying ordeal.

He was joining volunteers protecting the village, which is surrounded by Israeli outposts and has consistently been targeted by settler violence.

Finn said he was playing football with local children last Saturday when ‘a bunch of settler families and their kids came onto the pitch’.

He recalled: ‘The teenagers then ran down the streets and broke into one of the villagers’ houses and started trying to tear down his fence.’

The student says he was ‘standing against the fence’ and ‘trying to defend’ the property when he was grabbed by armed adults.

‘One of the younger children tried to push and kick me and shove past me to try to undo this fence. I was trying to be very careful not to provoke them.

‘At that point one of the adults started grabbing and pushing and shoving me into the road.

‘Before I knew it, two adults arrived and grabbed me, and one of them put me in a chokehold. One of them twisted my hand behind my back.

‘They started forcefully and violently puling me away. I was conscious of the fact they were armed.’

Footage circulating on social media appears to show Finn trying to shield a fence of armed adults and children, who are pushing against him.

Video then appears show him being dragged away by Israeli settlers.

Finn continued: ‘It was a plain and simple kidnapping and assault.

‘I was detained at gunpoint in some kind of concrete shed, apparently it was a bomb shelter’.

The London School of Economic student says he was ‘afraid’ as he was held in the bunker for 30 minutes and filmed without his consent, while a settler shouted allegations in Hebrew at him.

While the settlers who captured Finn were all in plain clothes, two men in military uniform did appear at the bunker.

However when the activist told them what had happened, he claims ‘one of them spat and shouted “shut the f**k up”.’

He added: ‘I had my property taken from me. I was not allowed to leave. There was a man with a gun standing at the door.

‘I tried to remain calm and positive and speak with the settlers reasonably and appeal to their basic humanity, but to no avail.

Israeli officers arrived half an hour later and took Finn to a police station, where he was held throughout Sunday.

Finn claims he was first accused of general assault, before later facing upgraded charges of an indecent act against a minor.

Finn, his lawyer and other activists who were in Umm Al-Khair have denied all these allegations.

He was later taken to a courthouse in Jerusalem, where he says he was eventually told a hearing was cancelled and he would be deported.

The Israeli Embassy told that ‘police determined that there was sufficient evidentiary basis concerning his alleged conduct’ but Finn says that a judge would have found him innocent.

He added: ‘Assault and attacks against children are the go-to claims that settlers like to make to get someone detained.

‘As horrifying as it is to have your name put out there like this, I am steadfast in knowing I did nothing like that.’

Finn was put on a flight back to the UK yesterday and is relieved to be home after the ordeal.

He calls his experience ‘strange and bizarre’ but claims it was ‘pretty lax’ compared to what Palestinian villagers face on a regular basis.

The student claimed: ‘Everyone in the Umm Al-Khiar village has at some point been harassed. Settlers often walk through the village and carry assault rifles.

‘They do it to worry and intimidate the Palestinians.

‘I am thankful it was me and not a Palestinian this happened to because they would not have the same legal recourse.

‘This will happen again next Saturday and the Saturday after and so on.’

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are regarded as illegal under international law, a position disputed by Israel.

Outposts are also illegal under Israeli law, though some receive state services and funding.

Saturday also saw dozens of settlers attack the West Bank village of Qusrabefore the military was called to remove them.

Foreign journalists were also injured by masked settlers in an attack in the West Bank town of Jalud.

The Foreign Office has confirmed it is aware of what happened to Finn and has raised the case with Israeli authorities.

A spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel said: ‘Last Saturday, a foreign national was arrested near Carmel in the Hebron area after allegedly disturbing public order. A complaint was also filed against him on suspicion of assaulting a minor and other offences.

‘Police officers detained him at the scene and took him for questioning. 

‘After the police determined that there was sufficient evidentiary basis concerning his alleged conduct, the investigation materials were transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority and the individual was removed.

‘We call on visitors to respect the law.’

An FCDO spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of reports that a British national was detained by Israeli authorities following an incident in Umm Al Kheir. Officials from the British Embassy Tel Aviv are engaging with the Israeli authorities and are providing consular assistance.’

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