Haneef's wife thanks Centre for support

Bangalore, July 20 (UNI) Relief and happiness are two rare things that Firdous Arshiya, wife of Mohammad Haneef, has experienced since more than two weeks after her husband was detained in Australia on July 2 in connection with the failed Glasgow Airport attack.

But, today she feels relieved after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed to console and assure the family that the Centre was at their side.

Firdous said she felt relieved and happy after meeting Mr Ahamed last night. ''The help extended by the Union Government has helped to ease the mental pressure my family is going through,'' she said after meeting Mr Ahamed in a five-star hotel last night.

On her cousin Imram Siddiqui getting the visa to go to Australia, she said she would probably fly on Sunday to help Haneef who is in the custody of the Australian Federal police.

Mr Ahamed, during the meeting, had assured Firdous that the government would do everything possible to help the family under the law and would be given consular access again.

The 27-year-old Indian doctor, who was working at Gold Coast Hospital in Brisbane, is now under solitary confinement in Wolston Correctional Centre after his visa was revoked by the Australian Immigration Ministry for 'failing' a character test.

UNI