Doctor arrested in terror case to seek compensation

An Indian doctor jailed without charge in Australia last year in a bungled counterterrorism case will seek compensation from the government, he and his lawyer said today.

Mohamed Haneef, who was deported when the case alleging his involvement in failed terrorist attacks in London and Scotland collapsed, has a strong claim to a substantial payout, lawyer Rod Hodgson said. He did not cite an amount.

“There are several grounds, including the effect on reputation, the wrongful imprisonment ... also the period of time that Dr Haneef was kept in custody,” Hodgson told reporters.

Haneef was a well-regarded doctor at a hospital in Australia’s Queensland state when he was arrested as he boarded a flight to India last July.

Days earlier, one of Haneef’s cousins allegedly drove an explosives-laden vehicle into Glasgow airport, in a suspected terrorist attack. Two would-be car bomb attacks in London had also been foiled.

Police said it was suspicious that Haneef had only a one-way ticket to India. Haneef told police he wanted to see his newborn sick daughter in Bangalore, and planned to buy a return ticket there.

The 27-year-old doctor was held for 12 days under controversial anti-terror laws before police eventually charged him with providing support for a terrorist group. The charge was based on Haneef giving his mobile phone SIM card to his cousin Sabeel Ahmed, one of the men charged in connection with the failed attacks.

The charge was dropped two weeks later when prosecutors decided there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction, and after it was disclosed that a prosecutor’s claim that Haneef’s SIM card was found in the Glasgow attack vehicle was wrong.

Despite the decision, then-Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revoked Haneef’s visa on character grounds.

Haneef’s visa was reinstated after a judge ruled his relationship with two of the British suspects did not reflect on his character. The government now says Haneef is welcome to return to Australia to work.

Haneef said he would co-operate with a government inquiry, which he hoped would “give me a clean slate”.

But he also wants compensation.

“I’ve lost my earnings from past, and even some of my future earnings,” Haneef said. “There’s been a great loss to my family and my reputation ... and this has definitely affected my earnings.”