AFP drops case against Haneef
The AFP has declared that the Indian-born doctor Mohamed Haneef is no longer a person of interest.
The Gold Coast-based doctor was charged over a terrorism plot in the UK but the case against him later collapsed.
In a statement, the AFP says there is insufficient evidence to charge Dr Haneef with any criminal offence.
The AFP says it has concluded its active inquiries, but that some overseas inquiries are yet to be resolved.
But Dr Haneef's lawyer, Peter Russo, says he is highly sceptical about the AFP statement.
"It is hard to know with the AFP; they don't deal with things with a straight bat," he said.
"So only time will tell, but it would be comforting for him to know that the AFP no longer regard him as a suspect in any wrongdoing in Australia or elsewhere."
Mr Russo says he does not trust the AFP, saying it has taken the police far too long to declare Dr Haneef no longer a suspect.
"This announcement should have been made way back when the DPP discontinued the charges," he said.
"It would be interesting to know why it has taken them so long and what has motivated them to make the announcement today."
Good to see justice done.
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't been exactly. He was training as a medical specialist here, and was forced to move back to India. He's currently working in Dubai. His reputation was trampled over, his career disrupted. It's probably cost him thousands in legal costs.He'd love to come back to Australia, but his wife is scared that if he returns the police will find ways to harass him.There are moves to sue the government for up to $8 million. I suspect the present government will not fight that as it will give them an opportunity to score some political points over their predecessors.There is a government inquiry into the affair. A couple of months ago ASIO, our domestic intelligence agency said there was never any real suspicion about Haneef but the police maintained there "we've got secret information" line, which it looks like they've now changed their minds about.All of this just shows how politicians and government agencies can so easily strip people's rights under the so-called threat of terrorism. Citizens in every western country have surrendered so many basic freedoms over the last 7 years and I think it's time to start pressuring governments to return some of those rights back to us.
ReplyDeleteYou are all so right with your comments on the Haneef case. This was just a case of the Government trying to inflate the terrorist threat out of all proportion. This is one case where the media should be congratulated for exposing this disgracefull victimization of an innocent man. Indeed we have "surrendered many basic freedoms" to the terrorist threat.
ReplyDeleteHi brunobear.I think most Australians found it hard to believe how low our government stooped on that one. It was for me and I suspect many others the "tipping point", the major factor that said I just could not vote for the Liberal-National Party at the election.The laws are still there on the books. At least the current Government has reviewed the discretionary powers of the Minister for Immigration, so that the arbitrary removal of a person's visa is less likely to happen, but those laws allowing detention without charges being laid are still there.
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