MANAM A leading Bahraini Shi'ite Muslim cleric returned to Bahrain on Thursday from 17 years in exile after a general amnesty and political changes in the Persian Gulf state.

Witnesses said Sheikh Abdel-Nabi Ali Qafood, 48, returned to his Duraz Village, 12km (7.5 miles) from the capital Manama, from the Iranian Shi'ite holy city of Qom.