Fahad Al-Thumairy also told Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News, after returning to Riyadh on Friday that he was not aware his diplomatic visa had been revoked during a trip home to the Kingdom.

Thumairy, 31, held a diplomatic post in the Saudi Consulate’s Islamic and cultural affairs section in Los Angeles. At the same time, he served as imam at the King Fahd Mosque in Culver City, one of southern California’s largest mosques.

The Los Angeles Times has reported that the diplomat was expelled under suspicion of being linked to terrorist groups.

Thumairy was detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday after arriving on a flight from Frankfurt and was expelled on Thursday, the daily reported.

Thumairy said the immigration officials at the airport “told me that the issue was linked only to the revoking of my visa and raised no other demands or suspicions”.

“I don’t recall committing any violation. Perhaps, the action was based on a malicious complaint by some Muslims eager to control the management of the mosque,” said Thumairy.

He said the immigration officials had treated him well. “I left the matter of following up the US decision to the Saudi Embassy in Washington, because they know the legal aspects much better than me,” he said.

Nayel Al-Jubair, official spokesman at the embassy in Washington, said the State Department had not yet responded to a memorandum it presented seeking clarification on the incident.

“We were expecting a quick reply from the State Department, but it did not happen,” he added.

Jubair said Thumairy was a diplomat in the A2 category. “We cannot jump to conclusions until the State Department gives its reasons,” he said.

“Our objection will be the way they (the authorities) handled the case in top secrecy, even without informing the department where he worked,” he added.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Thumairy said he still did not know why the US authorities deported him.