Stranded American Muslim cleric allowed to leave Kenya

Yussuf Awadir Abdi (Photo Courtesy)

An American Muslim leader barred from leaving the country was finally allowed to return to the US over the weekend.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the Utah-based Muslim leader Yussuf Awadir Abdi was expected to arrive in Salt Lake City at 2pm (11pm Kenyan time) on Sunday where he planned to hold a press conference over his ordeal in Kenya.

His troubles started on Wednesday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where he had been included in a no flight list.

Mr Abdi missed his connecting flight to Los Angeles International Airport. His lawyer said airport officials refused to promptly give him his boarding pass despite having passed through customs.

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Refugee Justice League of Utah in a joint complaint filed Friday said there was "good evidence" that Abdi was put on the Federal government's no-fly list after he left the US and was blocked from re-entering.

President Donald Trump's recent immigration and refugee executive orders sought to temporarily limit travel to the US and fulfill his campaign promise of a "Muslim ban," but have been stopped by the courts.

It is unclear why Kenyan officials kept Abdi from his flight because Kenya is also not one of the seven Muslim-majority countries targeted by Mr Trump executive orders.