The Hindu : Front Page : Police not to seek extension of Haneef’s detention

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 14, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Police not to seek extension of Haneef’s detention

P.S. Suryanarayana

They have 12 hours to charge or free the Indian doctor

Police opt for final question time
Some progress, says lawyer

SINGAPORE: Australia will decide whether to charge Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef with any offence under counter-terrorism laws or set him free after a 12-hour mandatory interrogation. The clock was set ticking for this question-time after 3 p.m. on Friday in Brisbane, where the doctor is being held.

This was indicated by Australia’s Attorney-General Philip Ruddock after the security agencies decided to give up plans for seeking another judicial sanction for continuing to hold Dr. Haneef without charging him on any count.

He was held in connection with the recent “terror plots” in the U.K. Previous judicial extensions of his detention expired on Friday. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) then opted for the second and final question-time as permissible before a suspect could either be charged under the counter-terror laws or freed without prejudice.

Mr. Ruddock said: “The issue is at a point where a determination could then be made as to whether or not further steps should be taken by way of charge or release.”

This was how he hinted that the end-game had now begun in Dr. Haneef’s prolonged “detention without any charges.”

Dr. Haneef was “taken into custody” by AFP on July 2, when he went to the Brisbane airport to fly out to India for a family reunion. He is employed by Queensland Health.

Mr. Ruddock’s comment followed AFP’s latest move which, in turn, came amid growing international criticism of Australia for holding Dr. Haneef for a long period without filing any charges. Australia’s Law Council, too, condemned his “indefinite detention” that left him in “a state of suspended animation.”

Dr. Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo expressed satisfaction that “there has been some progress made.”

However, he was “not” sure how this question-time would “get played out.” Earlier in the day, the AFP was said to have subjected Dr. Haneef to a DNA test.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page