Thaindian News

Melbourne, Dec 23 (ANI): Indian born doctor Mohamed Haneef will seek substantial compensation and an official apology from the Australian Government over his wrongful detention last year.

A report by retired NSW Supreme Court judge John Clarke has found that Dr Haneef was wrongly charged and wrongly detained on the Gold Coast last year over suspected links to terrorist acts in the UK.

Bernard Murphy, a member of Dr Haneefs legal team, said the report was a complete exoneration and vindication of Dr Haneef.

He also said the report was a political disaster for former Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews and an organisational disaster for the Australian Federal Police.

The Courier Mail quoted Murphy as saying that Andrews attempt to use the report to justify his actions were more spin from the Government. Its just a joke, he said.

Dr Haneef, speaking today from Dubai where he is working as a GP, said he was grateful to Clarke for his report.

I was very very pleased, very relieved and thankful. It has given me a clean sheet, he said.

He said he didnt hold any resentment towards the Australian Government but when asked if he expected an apology, he said that would go very handy.

Haneef and his lawyers said it was as yet too early for him to consider returning to Australia.

The Australian Federal Poilce have accepted the findings of the inquiry and Attorney-General Robert McClelland said that mistakes had been made from officer level to the highest level.

At the end of the day political leaders and agency heads must accept responsibility for errors that occurred on their watch. But we have full confidence in all agency heads, McClelland said. (ANI)