[Reader-list] The Detention of Dr. Haneef in Australia

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear All, (apologies for cross posting on Reader List and Commons Law)

Everyone on this list must be familiar with the news of the detention of 
a doctor from Bangalore Dr. Haneef, in Australia in connection with the 
attacks in Glasgow earlier this month.

Echo of 13 December
In what seems to be spiralling into a strange echo of the 13 December 
case, a man is being charged of terrorism in a country continents away, 
because he happened to share a house and was related to one of the other 
accused, and because of a lent SIM card. But the global 'war against 
terror' requires fresh victories, and the Australian government is as 
eager as any other to provide them, so it has found and picked Dr. Haneef.

While the Australian government, particularly under John Howard's 
stewardship has displayed a degree of paranoia and prejudice, it is 
heartening to note that a lot of ordinary people in Australia have come 
out in support of the detained doctor. With people demonstrating on 
streets, carrying placards that state that they too 'had lent someone a 
SIM card'.

See - http://newsbreak.com.au/topic/Peter-Russo
For a good compilation of articles from Australian sources about the 
unfolding events of the case.

'Every Drop of Blood is Human
While the Australian state agencies, and several 'anonymous' sources 
have sought to plant unsusbstantiated stories that insinuate that Dr. 
Haneef was in fact involved in the plot. His legal team, led by 
barristers Stephen Keim and  Peter Russo have also taken the entire case 
into the public domain by releasing transcripts of his interrogation by 
the police in which he (Dr. Haneef) while denying any involvement in any 
form of terrorism says that he believes  "every drop of blood is human. 
And I feel for every human being."

See - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/18/1981921.htm
and - 
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/slow-burn-that-led-team-to-make-transcript-public/2007/07/18/1184559867716.html
for details of the 'leaked transcript'

Reportage in Indian Press
There has been some reportage of these issues in the Indian press. And I 
am posting below a report that the Indian Express carried yesterday 
about this - which is identical to one found on the - 
http://www.worldnewsaustralia.com.au/region.php?id=138540&region=7 - webpage

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=89721
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070717/asp/nation/story_8068606.asp
	
'Australian people's support moved Haneef'
Indian Express, Thursday, 17 July

Agencies
Posted online: Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 1330 hours IST
Updated: Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 1335 hours IST

Melbourne, July 19: Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef, charged with 
supporting a terrorist organisation, broke down in jail after coming to 
know of the widespread support he was getting from common people in 
Australia, his lawyer said.

The 27-year old doctor from Bangalore was surprised and deeply touched 
when told fellow lawyers as well as ordinary people were rallying behind 
him and broke down, his lawyer Peter Russo told protestors outside the 
Department of Immigration.

"Some of what's occurring today may come as a little bit of a shock to 
him," Russo said adding "... he was moved to tears when I told him about 
it (the support) because I think for him he hasn't understood the impact 
that it's had on the rest of the community and I don't think he regards 
himself as being such an important person," The Australian quoted him as 
saying.

He said he expected Haneef would be amazed at his high-profile coverage 
after having access to newspapers and television news reports for the 
first time last night since his arrest at Brisbane Airport on July two.

"I'm pretty sure he will be stunned and he's going to have a million 
questions for me," he said.

He was moved to the Wolston correctional centre on Wednesday after 
failing to post a USD 10,000 surety, which would allow him to be 
transferred to the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney.

He is charged with supporting a terrorist organisation after giving a 
mobile phone SIM card to a relative later accused of being involved in 
plotting car bomb attacks in the UK.