Australian court grants bail to Haneef

Sydney, July 16: An Australian court granted bail today to the Indian doctor charged with recklessly providing support to a terrorist organisation linked to failed British car bombings in June, a court official said.

Doctor Mohamed Haneef, 27, has been in custody since July 2 but was only charged on Saturday, sparking criticism by civil rights groups of his 12-day detention before being charged.

Police have charged Haneef with supporting the attacks in London and Glasgow because he provided his mobile phone SIM card to those involved in the attacks.

Three people, including Haneef, have so far been charged.

All but one of the eight original suspects are medics from the West Asia or India.

Prosecutor Clive Porritt asked the Brisbane Magistrate's Court not to grant Haneef bail, citing Australian government laws which state those charged with terrorism offences can only be granted bail in "exceptional circumstances".

However, Haneef's barrister Stephen Keim argued for his release, saying the case against Haneef was "extremely weak".

Magistrate Jacqui Payne ruled Haneef should be released into the community pending his trial, granting him 10,000 Australian dollars bail.

''I can confirm he has been granted bail,'' a court official in Brisbane told the sources.

As part of his bail, Haneef must report to police three days a week, not apply for a passport or leave Australia.

Haneef's case was adjourned to August 31.

Two car bombs primed to explode in London's theatre and nightclub district were discovered early on June 29. The following day a jeep crashed into the terminal building at Glasgow airport and burst into flames.

British police charged Sabeel Ahmed, 26, of Liverpool, on Saturday with failing to disclose information that could have prevented an act of terrorism.

Iraqi-trained doctor Bilal Abdulla, 27, was charged in Britain last week with conspiring to cause explosions.

A seventh man, Indian engineer Kafeel Ahmed, 27, is under police guard in hospital after being badly burned when a jeep was driven into an airport terminal building in Glasgow, Scotland, and set ablaze on June 30.

Reuters

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