Free at last - or at least

Mordechai Vanunu, a man who spent 18 years in prison in Israel, 12 of them in solitary confinement, for the "crime" of telling London's Sunday Times what everyone already knew - that Israel has nuclear weapons - is to be released on Wednesday.

If you can call it released.

Invoking emergency legislation dating from the British Mandate in 1945, Israel is imposing what can only be described as an internal exile. Vanunu, who had been adopted by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, is barred

from talking to foreigners, including by telephone, fax or even email, and from going within 100 metres of a foreign embassy and within 300 metres of ports, airports, or border crossing points,

according to the Independent (UK) for April 18.

He can choose where to live - but will be barred from leaving that town unless he informs local police. He also can't leave the country for at least a year. Supporters intend to challenge the "ridiculous" restrictions before Israel's High Court.

Vanunu was originally tried and convicted in 1986 after being lured from London to Rome by a female Mossad agent. There he was drugged and kidnapped back to Israel for trial.

And I will ask yet again as I have asked before: What can he know after 20 years that is so dangerous that Israel would go to such lengths to silence him?

Or is this simply intended to be a warning to other potential whistleblowers about the price of speaking the truth?