FORMER terrorism suspect Mohamed Haneef is still waiting for the date of an inquiry into his case before deciding on his next move, his lawyer Peter Russo says.Dr Haneef today spoke of the damage his arrest had caused his career and reputation, at a press conference in India following his return from the Muslim holy pilgrimage to Mecca.
| Wonder who paid for his ticket? |
| Dr Haneef today spoke at a press conference in India following his return from the Muslim holy pilgrimage to Mecca. |
A decision on a return to Australia by Dr Haneef would depend on the timing of an inquiry into his case. "It's all pretty difficult at the moment for us to do anything until they announce the date of the inquiry," Mr Russo told AAP from Sicily where he is on holidays. "What everybody seems to forget is that it's not this government that has caused all the grief and they have made all the right noises, if you put it that way.
"We don't want to be running off and saying things that would prejudice us in the future with any negotiations that we would have the opportunity to get into. They have indicated that there will be an inquiry and up until that point, we are a little bit stuck in relation to what we do.''
Mr Russo said he would speak again to Dr Haneef late tonight, Australian time.
Dr Haneef was arrested on July 2 last year and 12 days later charged with supporting a terrorism organisation after his SIM card was linked to the failed Glasgow airport bombings in 2007.
The charges were dropped a fortnight later but then-immigration minister Kevin Andrews had already cancelled Dr Haneef's work visa, forcing him to return to his home in Bangalore, India. The full bench of the Federal Court last month upheld a judge's earlier decision to reinstate his work visa, clearing the way for Dr Haneef to return to Australia.
On Friday, Mr Russo said Dr Haneef was re-registering his qualifications with the Medical Board of Queensland, and that Queensland Health has said it will consider any application from Dr Haneef for re-employment. But he must first obtain a work visa from the commonwealth.