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Australia to reform anti-terrorism laws after Haneef report recommendations

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Australian Attorney General Robert McClelland said Tuesday that the government will reform anti-terrorism legislation in accordance with the recommendations of a report into the case of Dr. Mohammad Haneef which concluded that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had no evidence to detain him. Haneef was arrested in July 2007 and held for 25 days without charges after his cousin allegedly participated in the Glasgow Scotland airport attack. Haneef was later charged with providing support to a terrorist organization. The charges were eventually dropped, but Haneef's visa was revoked. The report, authored by retired judge John Clarke, found that Haneef should never have been charged and that there was "no evidence that was associated with or had foreknowledge of the terrorist events or of the possible involvement of his second cousins Dr Sabeel Ahmed and Mr Kafeel Ahmed in terrorist activities." The report also found that the government of former Prime Minister John Howard had not engaged in any wrongdoing, but that mistakes were made. Haneef has said that he does not plan to return to Australia. Last December, the Australian Federal Court upheld a decision to reinstate Haneef's work visa. The terrorism charge against him was dropped after the Australian director of public prosecutions reviewed the case and concluded that there was insufficient evidence.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on December 23, 2008 (boomark / email).