KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12: Malaysia deported a Saudi Arabian journalist on Sunday, police said, despite fears voiced by human rights groups that he could face execution in his home country over Twitter comments he made that were deemed blasphemous.

Hamza Kashgari, who was detained in Malaysia on Thursday af ter fleeing Saudi Arabia, has now left the country, national police spokesman Ramli Yoosuf said.

`He was deported to Saudi Arabia, Mr Ramli said. A government official said Mr Kashgari was escorted back to his home country by Saudi officials.

`He has been deported. He was picked up by Saudi officials at the airport,` said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Mr Kashgari fled to Malaysia after making comments on the microblogging site deemed blasphemous, which trig-gered outrage and death threats.

The offence is punishable by execution in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Kashgari`s detention sparked outrage from human rights groups, with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urging Malaysia not to send him back to face severe punishment and possibly a death sentence.

Malaysian rights activist Fadiah Nadwa Fikri condemned the move, saying that a court order to prevent Mr Kashgari`s deportation was secured on Sunday but that immigration authorities advised he had already been deported.

`It is a blatant violation of the law and human rights,` she said.

Ms Fadiah said Mr Kashgari`s mother and brother had arrived in Malaysia to seek his release and were distraught at the news of his repatriation.

`They are very distressed. They brokedown in tears. They fear for his safety, she said, adding that they would also return to Saudi Arabia.

Ms Fadiah said Mr Kashgari had been intending to travel to New Zealand where he planned to seek asylum. He flew to Malaysia via Jordan and was in transit when he was detained.

`He flew to Malaysia because there was no visa requirement,` she said.

Human Rights Watch senior Middle East researcher Christoph Wilcke had said on Saturday that Malaysia should not be `complicit in sealing Kashgari`s fate by sending him back`, where he would be unlikely to face a fair trial.

A committee of top Saudi clerics branded Mr Kashgari `an infidel` and demanded he be tried in an Islamic court, while a Saudi Facebook page calling for his execution has attracted thousands of followers.-AFP