The Hindu : Front Page : Verdict on Haneef’s appeal on August 21

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Verdict on Haneef’s appeal on August 21

Melbourne: An Australian court on Thursday reserved judgment on Mohammed Haneef’s bid to get back his visa until August 21 after terror charges against the Indian doctor over the foiled terror plot in the U.K. were dropped.

Judge Jeffery Spender of the Federal Court in Brisbane said he expected to hand down his decision on Dr. Haneef’s appeal against Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews’ controversial decision to revoke his work visa.

Dr. Haneef, 27, was working at a state hospital in the Gold Coast when he was arrested on July 2 and charged with providing support to a terror group.

When he was granted bail, Mr. Andrews revoked his visa and refused to restore it even after the charges were finally dropped.

Mr. Andrews had cancelled the visa saying the doctor had failed the character test provided by immigration laws.

Dr. Haneef’s lawyers argued in court that the doctor should not have failed a “character test” simply because he was related to men allegedly involved in the attempted attacks in London and Glasgow.

Solicitor-General David Bennett QC, representing the Immigration Minister, said the Minister had based his decision on factors, including that Dr. Haneef had lent his mobile phone SIM card to Sabeel Ahmed when he left the U.K. and had borrowed money from Kafeel. — PTI

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