The Hindu : Front Page : Haneef in solitary cell

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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Haneef in solitary cell

P. S. Suryanarayana

A terror prisoner: Australia

SINGAPORE: Australian authorities on Wednesday declared the Brisbane-based Indian doctor, Mohammed Haneef, “a terror prisoner” and lodged him in a solitary cell.

The move came amid a flurry of pre-trial legal activities and political controversies over the charges against him under Australia’s new counter-terror laws.

Dr. Haneef’s lawyers filed an appeal in the Federal Court in Brisbane against cancellation of his work visa by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews on Monday. Hearing on this petition will be on August 8.

The Minister’s action virtually overturned the conditional bail Dr. Haneef was granted. The main charge against him is that he “offered material support recklessly” to terror suspects in the run-up to their recent failed plots in the United Kingdom. Committal hearing in this case is set for August 31.

Dr. Haneef’s lawyers on Wednesday decided against “posting bail” and getting him released at this stage. Instead, they sought an immediate legal reversal of the revocation of his visa.

The petition attracted wide attention because a newspaper had, a few hours earlier, published “leaked” transcript of a police detective’s interrogation of Dr. Haneef, who was taken into custody on July 2. The details of the “interview” appeared to undermine the Government’s case that he had in fact committed a very serious offence. In the “interview,” he came through as a professional with non-radical views about Islam and jihad. He professed his innocence too.

Prime Minister John Howard led a chorus of condemnation against the unauthorised “leak” that could “frustrate” prosecution of the case itself. Hours later, Stephen Keim, Dr. Haneef’s barrister, disclosed he was behind the “leak.”

He argued that his move was designed to checkmate the Government in its campaign of “selective leaks” from the same document to project a stronger case against his client than what evidence actually warranted.

Extend facilities due to him: Manmohan

New Delhi Special Correspondent writes:

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has once again expressed the hope that Dr. Haneef would be treated fairly by Australia.

“We hope that they will extend all the facilities within the law and the rights he is entitled to. We are in touch with the Australian Government,” he told newsmen on Wednesday morning, after the launch of a book at his official residence.

Dr. Singh also told the newsmen that “the External Affairs Minister is in touch with his counterpart in that country.”

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