French police have detained Algerian international Youcef Atal, who plays for Ligue 1 football side Nice, in a probe into suspected “justification of terrorism” after he published a social media post on the Israel-Palestine conflict, prosecutors said.

Last month the 27-year-old defender was banned for seven matches over the post, which he quickly deleted and for which he subsequently issued an apology, AFP reports.

The public prosecutor in Nice opened a probe following a request from the local prefect and mayor of Nice.