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Friday, Jul 13, 2007
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Nelson: we’ll act in accordance with Indian law

Kesava Menon

Full cooperation with Indian authorities

My thoughts are very much with Haneef’s family
But I am not going to speak to them

Chennai: “About the Australian Federal Police liaison officer who has been sent to India … it is very important for us to act in accordance with Indian law and in full cooperation with Indian authorities. All of that has been put in train yesterday [Wednesday]. In fact, I had a discussion with the Federal Police officer who has come to India to undertake enquiries,” Australia’s Defence Minister Brendan Nelson told The Hindu in an interview here on Thursday.< /p>

“I think your newspaper reported some suggestion that he could be conducting his enquiries out of accordance with Indian law and customs. As I said yesterday, it is very important for us, notwithstanding the need for this investigation to be completed … it is very important for us to act in accordance with Indian law and in full cooperation with Indian authorities,” Dr. Nelson said.

Deeply disturbed

“I’m a physician by training. Immediately before going to Parliament, I was the president of the Australian Medical Association. The circumstances … all of us, every right thinking person was deeply disturbed by these events. Not only that they occurred, but that members of the medical profession were involved added to the sense of violation of the things we think are important as human beings. As you are obviously aware, the authorities were concerned that there may be a connection with Dr. [Mohammed] Haneef and he has been detained under Australia’s domestic anti-terrorism laws. But as I said yesterday, no one should assume any guilt unless it is proven to be the case,” Dr. Nelson said.

Answering a question whether the police officer had been to Bangalore or proposed to do so in the near future, Dr. Nelson said it would be inappropriate for him to respond. “Firstly, because I don’t know what he has done today and secondly, I shan’t because it would be inappropriate for me to do so. Whatever he does will be done in full cooperation with Indian authorities.”

Dr. Nelson was asked whether the reports about several other doctors being questioned suggested that the Australian police were working on the assumption that a network was in place. In reply, he said: “I think the line of the police enquiries from the United Kingdom to Australia has been based in part on the relationships that has existed for some time between the doctors concerned. I would not use the word ‘network’.”

The Minister was asked whether he had any plans to speak to Dr. Haneef’s family. In response, he said, “My thoughts are very much with the family. It must have been quite a shock to find that he is in detention. But in answer to your question, no, I’m not going to speak to them. But that does not mean I am unfeeling.”

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