The Hindu : Front Page : Australia frees Indian doctor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 05, 2007
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Australia frees Indian doctor

P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: Australian authorities on Wednesday set free an Indian doctor, Mohammed Asif Ali. He was questioned on the basis of the “discussions” the security agencies had with another Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef, who was detained on Monday night in Brisbane in connection with the latest terror plots in the United Kingdom.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday emphasised that “nothing has been established” in the case of continued detention of Dr. Haneef, without any charges, as part of international investigations into the terror plots.

Australian officials said they would respect the right of Dr. Ali to privacy and movement, even as foreign professionals in Australia expressed concern that such detentions on mere suspicions would only “stigmatise” the entire fraternity of overseas-born doctors and others.

India’s High Commissioner to Australia P.P. Shukla said an Indian diplomat met Dr. Haneef, whose detention was judicially extended by 48 hours from Tuesday night.

Mr. Howard maintained that the Indian national “is entitled, like anybody else in this situation, to a presumption of innocence.” He said: “It is possible he may not be held for a long period of time; he may be let go and there may be no charges brought against him. We have to allow for all of those possibilities.”

Australia’s Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd said he would first focus on “establishing the facts.”

Dr. Haneef has not been charged with any offence, even as Britain sent a counter-terrorism expert to Australia to join the interrogation.

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