The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Case against Haneef

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Case against Haneef

The Australian Government’s action of keeping Dr. Mohammed Haneef, charged with recklessly aiding the failed terror strikes in the U.K., in detention even after a magistrate granted him bail is unwarranted. Such a move will give rise to insecurity among Indians who live abroad. The Indian Government should ensure that Dr. Haneef is safe until all the investigations are completed.

J. Churchill,
Chennai

People lend their cars, cell phones, SIM cards, etc., to others in good faith. That alone cannot be the basis for accusing one of being an accomplice to a crime. Sure, a state must protect itself and its citizens. It has the right to investigate, but what the Australian Immigration Ministry did after a court granted Dr. Haneef bail is unacceptable.

India has an obligation to protect the rights of its citizens and stand by them. Those who feel otherwise should remember that today it is a Muslim Indian and tomorrow it can very well be a Hindu, Sikh or Christian.

V. Ramaswami,
New Jersey

The Australian Government has every right to hold Dr. Haneef under detention, until such time as his involvement in the failed Glasgow bombing is completely ruled out. Let us not fret over the decision of a sovereign state to act in accordance with its law to protect its citizens from terrorism.

It was not very long ago that we had in place the infamous POTA and TADA, under which many innocent people were held for months with no access to legal redress.

K. Anilkumar,
Tirupur

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