Mauritania ? U.S. ally Mauritania briefly arrested a prominent Islamic opposition figure Wednesday, two days after the government said it had foiled an alleged army-led coup plot linked to a threat last month by extremists to strike Mauritania “with an iron fist” over its ties with Israel.

Police arrested prominent Islamist Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour, secretary-general of an opposition coalition that includes Islamists. They searched his home and released him after several hours.

Ruling party officials have blamed army officers, civilians and Islamist extremists in the alleged plot to topple the 20-year-old regime of President Maaoya Sid’Ahmed Ould Taya.

Official accounts said the plotters were planning to assassinate Taya as he left the country Saturday for France. They said simultaneous bombings were planned to sow disarray.