Recriminations grew in Israel on Thursday as more details emerged about the mysterious life and death of a prisoner held in top-secret who was believed to be an Australian-Israeli spying for Mossad. As Israel finally admitted it had held a man with dual nationality in solitary confinement on security grounds who later committed suicide, a lawyer who met with him just days earlier said there was no indication the prisoner was planning to take his own life.

Speculation over the top-secret arrest and suicide of an Australian-Israeli in prison reached fever pitch Thursday amid allegations he may have been about to blow the whistle on sensitive Mossad operations. The mystery surrounding the so-called Prisoner X, identified this week by Australian media as Mossad agent Ben Zygier, has dominated headlines in Israel and Australia despite a media blackout on publishing details about his arrest.

Feb 14 (Reuters) - TOP STORIES ----------- JOHANNESBURG - South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, known as the "Blade Runner" for his racing prosthetics, was arrested on Thursday after his girlfriend was shot dead at his home in Pretoria. - - - -

* Court stops short of confirming suicide was a Mossad spy * Australia government says knew of case for two years * Israelis chafe at censorship on story available over Web * Media reports say several Australian-Israelis under spy investigation (Adds Australian government comments, quote from friend, background paragraphs 2, 6-7, 10-11, 15, 21-22) By Dan Williams and Rob Taylor