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No evidence against plot doc
13/07/2007 09:04 - (SA)
Sydney - Australian federal police have found no evidence to charge an Indian doctor who has been detained for 11 days, but still believe he played a role in last month's failed bomb attacks in Britain, a newspaper reported on Friday.
Despite a massive investigation, authorities have failed to uncover any evidence with which to charge Muhammad Haneef, 27, but do not want to release him because they suspect he "provided support to the terrorist organisation responsible for the terrorist acts in London and/or Glasgow", according to government documents cited by The Australian newspaper.
"If Mr Haneef was released from detention it would be more difficult for authorities to effectively monitor his movements and who he communicates with, either here or overseas," the newspaper quoted the documents as saying.
"If he was to communicate with people who were either involved in or associated with the terrorist acts he could take steps to have potentially incriminating evidence that has not been located destroyed," the documents said.
Authorities reportedly fear he could also "organise for others to assist him to provide innocent explanations for potentially incriminating evidence".
The Australian Federal Police refused to comment on the report, saying the "investigation is ongoing and it is not appropriate to comment any further".
Prime Minister John Howard also refused to comment on The Australian report, and rejected criticism of the country's counterterrorism laws, which allow suspects to be held without charge with a judge's permission.
"I am happy with the laws because I sponsored them," Howard told Melbourne's 3AW radio station. "If they need to be made stronger in the future they will be made stronger while ever I am prime minister."
Related to suspects held in Britain
Haneef, an Indian national who emigrated to Australia from Britain last year, is a distant cousin of Kafeel and Sabeel Ahmed, two suspects held in Britain in connection with two bomb-laden cars found in London on June 29 and an attack on a Glasgow airport the next day.
Haneef told police of his family ties to the Ahmed brothers, with whom he shared a house in the British city of Liverpool for up to two years. He has also allegedly acknowledged having extensive phone conversations with Kafeel Ahmed, but denies any link to the failed attacks, the newspaper said.
The doctor has been held without charge since July 2 when he was arrested in the eastern Australian city of Brisbane while trying to leave the country on a one-way ticket to India.
Haneef claims he was rushing to leave Australia to visit his wife and newborn baby in Bangalore, India, but the documents reportedly said officials believe "Mr Haneef has not been entirely truthful in relation to information he has provided to his attempt to leave Australia".
Federal police are expected to return to the Brisbane Magistrate's Court in Queensland state on Friday to request a further 72 hour detention. All court hearings related to the case are closed.
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