ID :
37189
Thu, 12/25/2008 - 06:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/37189
The shortlink copeid
Haneef was 'wrongly detained', says inquiry; Aus admits lapses
Melbourne, Dec 23 (PTI) Indian doctor Mohammad Haneef,
who was detained in Australia in connection with the failed
London bombings, was Tuesday cleared by a special inquiry
which said he was 'wrongly charged' in the case, prompting the
government to admit that lapses occurred in the handling of
the episode.
However, government will not initiate any action against
any Australian official who handled the case and would leave
it to the agencies to decide whether any disciplinary action
was needed.
A report by retired Supreme Court judge John Clarke,
released Tuesday found that Haneef was wrongly charged and
detained on the Gold Coast last year over suspected links to
terrorist acts in Britain, media reports said here.
Clarke said he found "no evidence that he (Haneef) was
associated with or had foreknowledge of the terrorist events"
in London and Glasgow in June 2007.
Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland said mistakes
were made from officer level to the highest level. However, he
added that he had full confidence in all agency heads.
"At the end of the day political leaders and agency heads
must accept responsibility for errors that occurred on their
watch," he said.
McClelland also said the government had accepted the
recommendations of Clarke, including the one for an
independent review of the national anti-terrorism laws.
"We weren't on a witchhunt", McClelland said, adding that
no one at any level in any agency would necessarily face any
punishment. The Labor Government would leave it to the
agencies to decide whether any disciplinary action should be
taken against a long list of people whose actions were grossly
incompetent, he said.
"We're not going to execute one to educate a thousand,"
McClelland said.
He also maintained that current government had no plans
to make any apology to Haneef, passing the buck to former
Prime Minister John Howard's government.
However, McClelland said he would make no criticism of
any members of the former government, including prime minister
Howard, immigration minister Kevin Andrews and
attorney-general Philip Ruddock.
Meanwhile, Andrews reiterated Tuesday that he had acted
in national interest in pursuing Haneef by withdrawing his
visa. He said the inquiry had cleared him of any improper
motive in his actions on the Haneef case.
"The Government has spent four million Aus dollars to be
told what Justice Spender found last year: that I did not act
with an improper motive," he said and added, "The recent
events in India (the Mumbai terror attacks) remind us that we
cannot be complacent about national security. The Australian
people expected me to act - I had the courage to do so."
Meanwhile, the Australian Federal Police accepted the
inquiry findings and said the agency is committed to work with
the government to ensure the recommendations are implemented.
"AFP agrees with the description given by the
Attorney-General that the Clarke report is balanced, thorough
and constructive as well as considering it to be a
comprehensive account of the events and circumstances of this
particular investigation."
"The AFP is strongly committed to working with the
Australian Government to ensure all the inquiry's
recommendations are implemented," it said.
But the federal police also defended itself, saying all
actions were undertaken "in good faith and in best interests
of public safety, given the circumstances at the time".
The federal police said the inquiry had found no evidence
of corruption or politicisation of the police nor of any
mistreatment of Haneef by federal police members.
Some of the issues raised by Clarke had already been
addressed, the AFP said, claiming that the federal police is
now working better with partner agencies, and sharing
information in a better way.
The federal police said Clarke was confident that actions
taken by authorities since the Haneef case would prevent such
a situation from happening again.
It said it had appointed a senior advisory team to review
and implement all the recommendations in the Clarke report.
Haneef was arrested in July 2007 and was accused of
having links to those responsible for the failed car bombings
in London and Glasglow. However, the cases against him
collapsed subsequently. PTI NC
RKM
NNNN
who was detained in Australia in connection with the failed
London bombings, was Tuesday cleared by a special inquiry
which said he was 'wrongly charged' in the case, prompting the
government to admit that lapses occurred in the handling of
the episode.
However, government will not initiate any action against
any Australian official who handled the case and would leave
it to the agencies to decide whether any disciplinary action
was needed.
A report by retired Supreme Court judge John Clarke,
released Tuesday found that Haneef was wrongly charged and
detained on the Gold Coast last year over suspected links to
terrorist acts in Britain, media reports said here.
Clarke said he found "no evidence that he (Haneef) was
associated with or had foreknowledge of the terrorist events"
in London and Glasgow in June 2007.
Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland said mistakes
were made from officer level to the highest level. However, he
added that he had full confidence in all agency heads.
"At the end of the day political leaders and agency heads
must accept responsibility for errors that occurred on their
watch," he said.
McClelland also said the government had accepted the
recommendations of Clarke, including the one for an
independent review of the national anti-terrorism laws.
"We weren't on a witchhunt", McClelland said, adding that
no one at any level in any agency would necessarily face any
punishment. The Labor Government would leave it to the
agencies to decide whether any disciplinary action should be
taken against a long list of people whose actions were grossly
incompetent, he said.
"We're not going to execute one to educate a thousand,"
McClelland said.
He also maintained that current government had no plans
to make any apology to Haneef, passing the buck to former
Prime Minister John Howard's government.
However, McClelland said he would make no criticism of
any members of the former government, including prime minister
Howard, immigration minister Kevin Andrews and
attorney-general Philip Ruddock.
Meanwhile, Andrews reiterated Tuesday that he had acted
in national interest in pursuing Haneef by withdrawing his
visa. He said the inquiry had cleared him of any improper
motive in his actions on the Haneef case.
"The Government has spent four million Aus dollars to be
told what Justice Spender found last year: that I did not act
with an improper motive," he said and added, "The recent
events in India (the Mumbai terror attacks) remind us that we
cannot be complacent about national security. The Australian
people expected me to act - I had the courage to do so."
Meanwhile, the Australian Federal Police accepted the
inquiry findings and said the agency is committed to work with
the government to ensure the recommendations are implemented.
"AFP agrees with the description given by the
Attorney-General that the Clarke report is balanced, thorough
and constructive as well as considering it to be a
comprehensive account of the events and circumstances of this
particular investigation."
"The AFP is strongly committed to working with the
Australian Government to ensure all the inquiry's
recommendations are implemented," it said.
But the federal police also defended itself, saying all
actions were undertaken "in good faith and in best interests
of public safety, given the circumstances at the time".
The federal police said the inquiry had found no evidence
of corruption or politicisation of the police nor of any
mistreatment of Haneef by federal police members.
Some of the issues raised by Clarke had already been
addressed, the AFP said, claiming that the federal police is
now working better with partner agencies, and sharing
information in a better way.
The federal police said Clarke was confident that actions
taken by authorities since the Haneef case would prevent such
a situation from happening again.
It said it had appointed a senior advisory team to review
and implement all the recommendations in the Clarke report.
Haneef was arrested in July 2007 and was accused of
having links to those responsible for the failed car bombings
in London and Glasglow. However, the cases against him
collapsed subsequently. PTI NC
RKM
NNNN
