Israeli authorities have arrested a Palestinian hospital administrator on his return to the West Bank from Oxford.

Samer Awartani, a 30-year-old hospital administrator from Nablus, in the West Bank, had attended a series of international health seminars and visited several Oxford medical institutions during his visit.

The British Council, which organised Mr Awartani's trip to Oxford, is investigating the affair, while the Israeli Embassy in London claims Mr Awartani had traces of explosives on him when he tried to cross back to the West Bank.

Mr Awartani was a delegate at the Patient Empowerment and Health Care Management seminars from April 29 to May 4. During a seminar on the first day, Mr Awartani gave a presentation about how his hospital in Nablus, a West Bank town, is administered.

An Israeli delegate, believed to be a former officer in the Israeli Air Force, filmed Mr Awartani's presentation - the only one to be filmed.

Howard Lyons, managing director of London International Healthcare, directed the seminar.

"There hadn't been anything untoward at the seminar until Mr Awartani stood up to give his presentation," Mr Lyons said.

"An Israel delegate got up and began filming him, which was unusual as he had not filmed anyone else and he didn't film anyone after Mr Awartani. "Mr Awartani was just sharing his professional opinions and that was all. He said absolutely nothing about the Palestinian uprising or whether his hopsital was handling patients injured in the uprising."

The Israeli Embassy said Mr Awartani was arrested on May 7 while crossing the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank. He was returning home from the conference when he was stopped.

Eli Yerushalmi, the embassy's minister councillor for public affairs, said: "Mr Awartani's arrest was completely unconnected with his participation in an international conference in Britain. "He was arrested while crossing from Jordan to Israel. In the course of routine checks, traces of RDX, a strong explosive material, were found on him.

"He is not co-operating with the operation."

Mr Yerushalmi said Mr Awartani would soon be granted access to a lawyer. The location of his detention is not known.

The British Council paid Mr Awartani's costs of more than £1,500 while he was in the UK, while the Department for International Development paid his air fare. Harry Cummins, spokesman for the British Council, said he could not comment on the explosives allegation.

He added: "We're investigating the circumstances surrounding his arrest and allegations that he was filmed."

The council helps organise seminars in Oxford as part of contact-building exercises.