Sydney - An Indian doctor who left Australia after a
terrorism charge against him was dropped should have his visa
reinstated so he can return to work at a Brisbane hospital, a
Queensland court ruled Tuesday.
Mohammed Haneef's visa was revoked because of a suspected
connection with the failed bomb attacks in Britain. The government
alleged Haneef's hurried attempt at departing from Brisbane airport
on a one-way ticket to Bangalore suggested he had foreknowledge of
the botched car bombings in London and Glasgow.
The 27-year-old was arrested July 2 and held for almost a month.
Police initially alleged he had supplied a mobile phone SIM card
to the group behind the failed bombings and that it had been found in
a blazing Jeep that his cousin, Kafeel Ahmed, is alleged to have
rammed into Glasgow airport.
The police subsequently retracted that allegation, saying the SIM
card was found with Kafeel Ahmed's brother, Sabeel Ahmed, in a house
in Liverpool.
The location of the SIM card was one of two mistakes admitted to
by the public prosecutor and which led to the criminal case against
Haneef collapsing. The other mistake was where Haneef had lived in
Britain before arriving in Australia in September last year.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said he would appeal the
decision to a higher court.
Andrews cancelled the visa on character grounds last month, saying
he had a reasonable suspicion Haneef had 'associated' with
terrorists.
'I acted for the national security of Australia,' Andrews said. 'I
make no apology about that whatsover.'
Haneef's passport was returned to him and he left Australia
voluntarily on July 28.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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