Family relieved over news of Haneef's release

Bangalore, Jul 13: The family of Mohammed Haneef, detained in Australia over his suspected links with terror plot in last month's Glasgow Airport attack today looked relieved after hearing the news that the Indian doctor would be released shortly.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP), who had detained Haneef for the past ten days on the behest of British police, had decided not to press for extension of his detention with the court as they could not produce any hard evidence on his complicity in the case.

The court had allowed 12 hours of questioning Haneef, spread over three days, and he was expected to be released by Monday.

"I am very happy and I thank the media of both India and Australia. I was confident that Haneef will be freed early. I am trying to get in touch with the (Haneef's) lawyer," Haneef's wife Firdaus said today.

Speaking to UNI she said that Haneef was always confident of getting freed. "I spoke to him last night and he said he was confident of getting freed in a couple of days. I want to see that day when he comes out of the detention. We are waiting to see him back in home," she said.

Haneef's brother Shoiab said the family was releived on hearing the news but would like to react only after his brother was released by the Australian police. Meanwhile, media reports from Australia said in the AFP had been allowed 12 hours of questioning time, spread over three days, by the Australian court to question Haneef. The doctor had been shifted from watch house to the police headquarters this afternoon. Haneef's DNA was also tested this morning.

Earlier, the AFP wanted to seek three more days of detention of Dr Haneef but after the hearing was adjourned yesterday, it decided to withdraw its application seeking extension of detention.

Three people, all from Bangalore, had been suspected to have involved in the June 30 failed Glasgow attack. This included the Ahmed brothers -- Kafeel and Sabeel and their cousin Haneef. While Kafeel, an aeronautical engineer, had been confirmed to be the driver who drove the blazing Jeep Charokee into the airport, his younger brother Sabeel, also a doctor, was arrested while going in his car in Liverpool. Haneef, who works in Gold Coast hospital in Brisbane was detained in the Australian city on a tip off from the British Police as Kafeel was said to have used a simcard belonging to Haneef.

UNI

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