My favourite line:
"No official attempt has been made to correct the public record, despite police sources telling Fairfax they had been aware of the error for some time."
Of course the public have already been bombarded with headline news and front page stories on the terrorist who tried to remotely bomb the car in London with his Australian sim card.... now the scaring part is done, why bother to clear the record! The public might start to doubt the "war on terror"
Australian Federal Police admit main evidence against Haneef was wrong
Source: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=384052&sid=NAT&ssid=&news=AFP%20admits%20main%20evidence%20against%20Haneef%20was%20wrong
Melbourne, July 21: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have admitted the crucial evidence against Indian born doctor Dr Mohammed Haneef, that his mobile phone SIM card was found at the scene of a British car bombing, was wrong.
The Fairfax newspapers quoted AFP sources as saying that it had not been confirmed that the SIM card was found at the scene of the failed Glasgow Airport attack, as prosecutors alleged during the Haneef`s bail hearing.
The revelation has cast fresh doubts over police handling of the Haneef case, news.com.au reported.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle has said the latest revelations showed that the Howard government`s terror laws were open to political abuse.
"The Greens opposed the terror laws when they were introduced because we were concerned that they were so broad that they could be used politically,`` Senator Nettle said.
The AFP were under "immense pressure`` from the Howard government to produce charges in the case, leading them to make "numerous mistakes``, she said.
"People are looking at the case of Dr Haneef and saying `that could have been me`, people have lent their SIM cards to others...no wonder people in the community are nervous,`` she added.
The Greens also called on Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews to review his eleventh-hour decision to revoke Haneef`s visa on character grounds.
"We now know he`s used incorrect information in making the decision to cancel Dr Haneef`s visa and that is why he needs to review that decision,`` she said.
Earlier this week, a Brisbane court was told by the prosecution counsel that the SIM card belonging to Haneef, a Gold Coast-based doctor, was found in the jeep that crashed into the exterior wing of the Glasgow Airport.
"It is one piece in a fairly complex matter. So whether or not it is the ace in the pack, we don`t know at this stage," Haneef`s counsel Peter Russo said after reading the report.
Criticism has also come from Peter Faris QC, who has backed the government`s new anti-terror laws, and Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, who has expressed concern.
The SIM card, the smart card in mobile phones, was found in the possession of one of Dr Haneef`s cousins, Sabeel Ahmed, in Liverpool, hundreds of kilometres away from the failed Glasgow bombing.
No official attempt has been made to correct the public record, despite police sources telling Fairfax they had been aware of the error for some time.
Haneef, 27, has been in custody since July 2, but was only charged on July 14, which led to global criticism of his 12-day detention without charge.
High Commission officials meet Haneef
Indian High Commission official in Australia met Indian born doctor Mohammed Haneef on Saturday, according to the Minister of State for External Affairs, E Ahmed. The minister also said that Haneef is in good health.
Department mistakes could free Haneef
Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef,charged in connection with the failed UK terror plot, couldwin his freedom in court because of apparent mistakes in a departmental briefing that led Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews to order his detention.
"Even one error of fact could be enough to underminethe government`s case," constitutional lawyer George Williams was quoted as saying by `The Australian` today.
Those mistakes are expected to be raised in the Federal Court by Haneef`s lawyers on August 8 when they challenge the government`s decision on Monday to revoke his visa.
They are the same apparent mistakes that appear in an affidavit that was used in the Brisbane Magistrates Court against Haneef by the Australian Federal Police when he wasgranted bail.
While AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty yesterday called on lawyers to stop commenting on the case, Queensland Councilof Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said the Federal Court proceedings next month would be crucial.
"If the minister has, for whatever reason, acted on incorrect information, the decision will be overturned," Copesaid.
Andrews has refused to review his decision to cancel Haneef`s visa, saying his decision was based on information not seen by Brisbane Magistrate Jacqui Payne, who granted the terror suspect bail.
The apparent errors in the information considered by Andrews are contained in a minute on Haneef that was preparedby senior public servant peter white on Monday.
Haneef`s relative leaves for Australia
A relative of Mohammed Haneef, charged in Australia with supporting a terror plot in Britain, left Bangalore on Saturday for Brisbane to assist him, especially in the judicial process.
"The role of Imran Siddiqi (Haneef`s cousin) will be to assist the lawyer in providing the information required and communicate the developments (in the case) to the family," Firdous Arshiya, wife of Haneef, told reporters.
She said Haneef`s lawyer had requested that a "family person" should be present in Australia.
"Imran has travelled abroad several times and is a knowledgeable person," she said.
The Australian Immigration Department granted a tourist visa to Siddiqi after "character and security assessments".
Bureau Report
"No official attempt has been made to correct the public record, despite police sources telling Fairfax they had been aware of the error for some time."
Of course the public have already been bombarded with headline news and front page stories on the terrorist who tried to remotely bomb the car in London with his Australian sim card.... now the scaring part is done, why bother to clear the record! The public might start to doubt the "war on terror"
Australian Federal Police admit main evidence against Haneef was wrong
Source: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=384052&sid=NAT&ssid=&news=AFP%20admits%20main%20evidence%20against%20Haneef%20was%20wrong
Melbourne, July 21: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have admitted the crucial evidence against Indian born doctor Dr Mohammed Haneef, that his mobile phone SIM card was found at the scene of a British car bombing, was wrong.
The Fairfax newspapers quoted AFP sources as saying that it had not been confirmed that the SIM card was found at the scene of the failed Glasgow Airport attack, as prosecutors alleged during the Haneef`s bail hearing.
The revelation has cast fresh doubts over police handling of the Haneef case, news.com.au reported.
Greens Senator Kerry Nettle has said the latest revelations showed that the Howard government`s terror laws were open to political abuse.
"The Greens opposed the terror laws when they were introduced because we were concerned that they were so broad that they could be used politically,`` Senator Nettle said.
The AFP were under "immense pressure`` from the Howard government to produce charges in the case, leading them to make "numerous mistakes``, she said.
"People are looking at the case of Dr Haneef and saying `that could have been me`, people have lent their SIM cards to others...no wonder people in the community are nervous,`` she added.
The Greens also called on Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews to review his eleventh-hour decision to revoke Haneef`s visa on character grounds.
"We now know he`s used incorrect information in making the decision to cancel Dr Haneef`s visa and that is why he needs to review that decision,`` she said.
Earlier this week, a Brisbane court was told by the prosecution counsel that the SIM card belonging to Haneef, a Gold Coast-based doctor, was found in the jeep that crashed into the exterior wing of the Glasgow Airport.
"It is one piece in a fairly complex matter. So whether or not it is the ace in the pack, we don`t know at this stage," Haneef`s counsel Peter Russo said after reading the report.
Criticism has also come from Peter Faris QC, who has backed the government`s new anti-terror laws, and Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, who has expressed concern.
The SIM card, the smart card in mobile phones, was found in the possession of one of Dr Haneef`s cousins, Sabeel Ahmed, in Liverpool, hundreds of kilometres away from the failed Glasgow bombing.
No official attempt has been made to correct the public record, despite police sources telling Fairfax they had been aware of the error for some time.
Haneef, 27, has been in custody since July 2, but was only charged on July 14, which led to global criticism of his 12-day detention without charge.
High Commission officials meet Haneef
Indian High Commission official in Australia met Indian born doctor Mohammed Haneef on Saturday, according to the Minister of State for External Affairs, E Ahmed. The minister also said that Haneef is in good health.
Department mistakes could free Haneef
Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef,charged in connection with the failed UK terror plot, couldwin his freedom in court because of apparent mistakes in a departmental briefing that led Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews to order his detention.
"Even one error of fact could be enough to underminethe government`s case," constitutional lawyer George Williams was quoted as saying by `The Australian` today.
Those mistakes are expected to be raised in the Federal Court by Haneef`s lawyers on August 8 when they challenge the government`s decision on Monday to revoke his visa.
They are the same apparent mistakes that appear in an affidavit that was used in the Brisbane Magistrates Court against Haneef by the Australian Federal Police when he wasgranted bail.
While AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty yesterday called on lawyers to stop commenting on the case, Queensland Councilof Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said the Federal Court proceedings next month would be crucial.
"If the minister has, for whatever reason, acted on incorrect information, the decision will be overturned," Copesaid.
Andrews has refused to review his decision to cancel Haneef`s visa, saying his decision was based on information not seen by Brisbane Magistrate Jacqui Payne, who granted the terror suspect bail.
The apparent errors in the information considered by Andrews are contained in a minute on Haneef that was preparedby senior public servant peter white on Monday.
Haneef`s relative leaves for Australia
A relative of Mohammed Haneef, charged in Australia with supporting a terror plot in Britain, left Bangalore on Saturday for Brisbane to assist him, especially in the judicial process.
"The role of Imran Siddiqi (Haneef`s cousin) will be to assist the lawyer in providing the information required and communicate the developments (in the case) to the family," Firdous Arshiya, wife of Haneef, told reporters.
She said Haneef`s lawyer had requested that a "family person" should be present in Australia.
"Imran has travelled abroad several times and is a knowledgeable person," she said.
The Australian Immigration Department granted a tourist visa to Siddiqi after "character and security assessments".
Bureau Report
