Aussie PM defends Haneef detention

Indian doctor charged with ‘recklessly’ providing support to a terrorist group

Prime Minister John Howard and senior ministers rallied to defend Australia’s tough anti-terrorism stance on Sunday, saying laws by which a man linked to the failed UK bombings was held for 12 days before being charged were essential to protect its citizens.

Australian Federal Police charged Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef, 27, on Saturday with recklessly providing support to a terrorist organisation, after holding him since July 2. Another doctor, Sabeel Ahmed, 26, who is Haneef’s cousin, was charged in London on Saturday with failing to disclose information that could have prevented the attacks.

Prime Minister John Howard said the terrorism laws, introduced in 2004, were necessary “to the very last letter,” and opened the door to possibly strengthening them.

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“I believe that the present laws are all necessary, I have an open mind as to whether they might need to be strengthened in the future,” Howard told Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) radio.

Civil rights groups had protested over Haneef’s detention without charge.

Police investigating the case at the weekend said they had had to sift through the equivalent of 36,000 four-drawer filing cabinets of material in electronic form.

Haneef was remanded in custody until Monday when his bail application is to be heard in a Brisbane court. Police say he provided the group with his mobile phone SIM card, which one of the suspects used later.

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Haneef’s lawyer, Peter Russo, said Haneef was being treated unfairly under the tough laws because people charged with terrorism offences could only be granted bail in “exceptional circumstances,” Australian Associated Press reported.

Local media reported that police in Perth, had raided a suburban house in connection with the investigation of links between foreign-trained doctors and the British bomb plots. ABC reported that police completed the search of the house where three or four Indian doctors lived.