The Hindu : National : Australian police had certified Haneef was no threat

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Australian police had certified Haneef was no threat

Special Correspondent

Despite police’s clean chit, visa was cancelled
Labour leader Kevin Rudd calls for an inquiry

Bangalore: Evidence to prove that the Australian authorities planned to keep Bangalore doctor Mohammed Haneef in jail even if he was granted bail seems to be growing stronger by the day.

Close on the heels of an e-mail transcript suggesting that Australian Federal Police and the Immigration Department had a “contingency plan” to detain him, Dr. Haneef’s solicitor, Peter Russo, has released further evidence that shows the counter-terrorism chief for the Australian Federal Police, Assistant Commissioner Frank Prendergast, had concluded after a fortnight of intense investigations in July that Dr. Haneef posed no threat to anyone in Australia. Yet, the Australian government went ahead and cancelled Dr. Haneef’s visa.

Mr. Prendergast stated in the July 16 document, a request for a Criminal Justice Stay Certificate, released by Mr. Russo: “There is no currently available information held by law enforcement to suggest Dr. Haneef has been involved in, or engaged in planning of, violent/terrorist conduct in Australia.”

The certificate adds: “As detailed above, there is no information available to law enforcement at this time to indicate that he presents a danger to the community or that he would engage in acts of violence. The evidence relates to his alleged association with, and support to, members of an alleged terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom.”

This gains significance in the light of Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews’s claim that he relied largely on the Federal Police advice to cancel Dr. Haneef’s visa on July 16. Shortly before the Minister’s announcement, a Brisbane magistrate had decided to grant Dr. Haneef bail.

The evidence released earlier was an e-mail forward dated July 16, 2007, from Luke Morrish, Acting Manager (Domestic) Counter Terrorism, Australian Federal Police (AFP), to Peter White of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. The e-mail stated: “Contingencies for containing Mr. Haneef and detaining him under the Migration Act, if it is the case he is granted bail on Monday, are in place as per arrangements today.”

Mr. Russo has said that the document was being released to “inform the public debate concerning the decision-making which had caused Dr. Haneef not to be able to continue his medical work and training in Australia.”

Though there is no direct evidence to show that Immigration Minister Peter Andrews was in the know of this e-mail, legal sources in Australia point to other evidence that suggests he could not have been in the dark on this crucial matter.

Legal sources point out that Mr. Andrews had said on July 16: “I have been in contact with AFP over the last couple of days.” This is in contrast to what he is saying now: “I knew nothing till midday on July 16.”

“Something is wrong there,” said the source.

Labour leader Kevin Rudd, who has been cautious on this issue has come out strongly calling for an inquiry and has been prepared to suggest that Mr. Andrews has misused his powers, point out sources in Australia.

This points to how the case is gaining political significance in the country.

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