Mistakes and trauma mark Haneef’s release By : Md Mudassir Alam
DOCTOR MOHAMMED HANEEF, who was working in Gold Coast Hospital in Southport was arrested on 2nd July at Brisbane airport before he was about to board a flight to India. Twelve days later Haneef was charged with providing support to a terrorist organisation. Haneef was alleged that he had given his mobile-phone SIM card to a relative who was responsible for the failed London terror attacks.
After failing to prove any terrorism-related charges against Mohammed Haneef, the prosecution admitted to having made mistakes. According to public prosecutor the first mistake in the case made against Mohammed Haneef was related to the exact location of the SIM card that was earlier claimed to have been found in the burning jeep used in Glasgow airport attack. Later it was revealed that the SIM card was obtained from Haneef’s cousin, around 300 kms away in Liverpool. Second mistake made in the case was related to Haneef’s residence in the UK, which was based on incorrect evidence provided by the AFP.
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Damian Bugg said, “On my view of this matter a mistake has been made. I withdrew the charges because I was satisfied and there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.” While talking with reporters in Canberra, Mr. Bugg described the mistake as “upsetting.” “Mistakes are embarrassing. You’re embarrassed if you do something wrong. I am disappointed that it’s happened and I will first thing next week try and obtain a better understanding of how it came about.”
On Haneef’s release, his wife Firdous Ashiya looked quite happy and told that her husband’s honour is restored now and it has been proved that he in not a terrorist. Speaking to media, Firdous said, "We are waiting for a bridging visa because I don’t want him to get deported. I want him to come back in a regular manner.”
In the meantime, the Indian External Affairs Ministry has also sought a fresh visa for Mohammed Haneef in a statement which also welcomed the dropping of charges against him.
Now 27 yrs old, Mohammed Haneef is free and cleared of the terrorism charges. But who is responsible for the trauma he has faced during his custody and he had been treated like a terrorist. Australian Police tried a lot to prove Haneef as a terrorist, even they reached his residence in Bangalore to question his relatives. Everything that belonged to Haneef like mobile phone, computer, documents etc. came under the scan of Australian Police, but they didn’t find any evidence to establish Haneef’s link with any terrorist organisation.
Meanwhile, I would strongly criticize BJP’s especially L.K.Advani’s comment against Mohammed Haneef. After seeing Haneef’s mother in a traumatic condition, our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came in support of Haneef. Mr. Advani strongly came against Prime Minister and compared Haneef’s mother’s trauma with Kashmiri women whose sons die in terrorist attacks. However, after Haneef’s acquittal news, BJP President Rajnath Singh said, “Haneef was suspected as a terrorist because he is Muslim, it is wrong, all the Muslims can’t be suspected as terrorists.”
Overall, Haneef will be really happy now and next he will try to overcome from his four week long turmoil. At last I would like to thank Indian Government and the Indian External Affairs Ministry too as they came in support of innocent Haneef and saved him from false allegations of terrorism. In future too, all Indians who are living abroad should remain cautious enough to avoid such unpleasant circumstances.
After failing to prove any terrorism-related charges against Mohammed Haneef, the prosecution admitted to having made mistakes. According to public prosecutor the first mistake in the case made against Mohammed Haneef was related to the exact location of the SIM card that was earlier claimed to have been found in the burning jeep used in Glasgow airport attack. Later it was revealed that the SIM card was obtained from Haneef’s cousin, around 300 kms away in Liverpool. Second mistake made in the case was related to Haneef’s residence in the UK, which was based on incorrect evidence provided by the AFP.
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Damian Bugg said, “On my view of this matter a mistake has been made. I withdrew the charges because I was satisfied and there was no reasonable prospect of conviction.” While talking with reporters in Canberra, Mr. Bugg described the mistake as “upsetting.” “Mistakes are embarrassing. You’re embarrassed if you do something wrong. I am disappointed that it’s happened and I will first thing next week try and obtain a better understanding of how it came about.”
On Haneef’s release, his wife Firdous Ashiya looked quite happy and told that her husband’s honour is restored now and it has been proved that he in not a terrorist. Speaking to media, Firdous said, "We are waiting for a bridging visa because I don’t want him to get deported. I want him to come back in a regular manner.”
In the meantime, the Indian External Affairs Ministry has also sought a fresh visa for Mohammed Haneef in a statement which also welcomed the dropping of charges against him.
Now 27 yrs old, Mohammed Haneef is free and cleared of the terrorism charges. But who is responsible for the trauma he has faced during his custody and he had been treated like a terrorist. Australian Police tried a lot to prove Haneef as a terrorist, even they reached his residence in Bangalore to question his relatives. Everything that belonged to Haneef like mobile phone, computer, documents etc. came under the scan of Australian Police, but they didn’t find any evidence to establish Haneef’s link with any terrorist organisation.
Meanwhile, I would strongly criticize BJP’s especially L.K.Advani’s comment against Mohammed Haneef. After seeing Haneef’s mother in a traumatic condition, our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came in support of Haneef. Mr. Advani strongly came against Prime Minister and compared Haneef’s mother’s trauma with Kashmiri women whose sons die in terrorist attacks. However, after Haneef’s acquittal news, BJP President Rajnath Singh said, “Haneef was suspected as a terrorist because he is Muslim, it is wrong, all the Muslims can’t be suspected as terrorists.”
Overall, Haneef will be really happy now and next he will try to overcome from his four week long turmoil. At last I would like to thank Indian Government and the Indian External Affairs Ministry too as they came in support of innocent Haneef and saved him from false allegations of terrorism. In future too, all Indians who are living abroad should remain cautious enough to avoid such unpleasant circumstances.
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