A Bradford couple say they have been left traumatised after their Mediterranean birthday dream cruise ended with them being treated like “terrorists” by Israeli police.

Adam Hasan Jamal, 66, is now considering taking legal advice after his holiday nightmare.

Mr Jamal and his wife, Zakia Begum, 54, were detained in an isolated part of Ashdod Port in Israel while officials questioned why they had left their official tour party in Jerusalem to see a holy Muslim shrine.

He said: “I was terrified and thought our cruise ship was going to sail off without us and we would be detained in Israel. You have all these horrible thoughts and my petrified wife was in tears.”

Mr Jamal and his wife, who live in Bradford Moor, booked the Escape to the East with Thomson Holidays with the sole purpose of going to see the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and to celebrate Mr Hasan’s birthday.

The Muslim couple said that they were reassured that their official Thomson guide on the Celebration ship would sort out the spiritual visit and that it would not be a problem for the couple to leave the official tour group, who would not be going to the Dome.

But problems started when they returned to their tour coach at Ashdod Port.

Port officials asked if anyone had left the official tour. When the couple announced they had, they were detained and questioned for more than an hour.

“All we got was very arrogant and non-caring attitude from them,” Mr Jamal said. “It was like we were terrorists and a big threat.

“They asked us whether we brought weapons or substances from anybody or had given our address or internet information to anyone.

‘They even asked my wife where she met me and why she wanted to marry me. I told them they were going well beyond their brief.

“We would have used the port taxis in Israel, who take your passport and look after you, if we had known it would have been a problem, but Thomson reassured us that we wouldn’t have to do that and that they would sort out a guide.”

After detaining the couple, Mr Jamal said that officials suddenly released them with no explanation.

“They said they were sorry to have inconvenienced us and took us back to the ship where everyone was relieved to see us.

“Everyone in Bradford is now asking whether we had a good trip and we will tell them not to book their excursions but to get the port taxi if they want to see the Dome. This experience has left us despondent and I think the officials over reacted.”

Amir Ofek, of the Embassy of Israel, said that officials had to be assured that anyone leaving a tourist group had not been approached or tricked by someone intent on harming others or the ship. He said: “It is not a very pleasant experience but is necessary for the safety of all the tourists coming and going.”

No one from Thomson Holidays was available for comment.