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Journalism of Courage
Nearly a fortnight after they were detained following the failed car bombings in London and Glasgow, two Indian doctors from Bangalore were charged on Saturday with terrorism offences.
While Sabeel Ahmed, whose brother allegedly drove the explosives-laden jeep into the Glasgow airport, was charged by the British police with having information that could prevent an act of terrorism, his cousin Mohammed Haneef, held in Australia, was charged with providing 8220;reckless8221; support to a terrorist organisation.
Eight people were detained immediately after the botched attacks; one of them, the only woman and Asha8217;s wife Marwa, was freed on Thursday. Kafeel is in hospital, fighting 90 per cent burns.
Sources told The Sunday Express that New Delhi is 8220;upset8221; over the manner in which Haneef has been charged, with no information being shared with government officials here. India is expected to raise the matter with Australian authorities.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement in London that Sabeel had been charged with having information that could prevent an act of terrorism. Sabeel was charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 and is expected to appear before a magistrate on Monday.
The 26-year-old Sabeel was arrested on June 30, soon after the failed attack on Glasgow8217;s international airport.
Earlier on Saturday morning, the Australian police filed charges against Haneef, 27, dashing hopes of an early release for the doctor.
8220;The allegation is that Haneef provided support to a terrorist group,8221; Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty was quoted as saying in Canberra by TV channels. 8220;The specific allegation regards recklessness rather than intention 8212; the allegation being that he was reckless about some of the support he provided to that UK group, in particular the provision of his SIM card8230;8221;
Police alleged that Haneef 8220;recklessly8221; provided his SIM card to cousins Sabeel and Kafeel when he left Britain for Australia last year.
This was an unexpected turn in Haneef8217;s case after the police on Friday decided not to seek extension of detention of the 27-year-old hospital registrar, who was taken into custody 12 days back.
Prosecutor Clive Porritt said Haneef would have known about the Ahmed brothers8217; alleged links to terrorism, since the trio are distant cousins who once shared a house in Britain.
8220;These are people who he lived with, may have worked with, and certainly associated with,8221; Porritt told the court.
But defence laywer Stephen Keim said Haneef only left the SIM card with Sabeel so his cousin could take advantage of a special deal on his mobile phone plan. 8220;For some reason he should have been aware that something was going to happen when the rest of the world didn8217;t,8221; Keim said. 8220;It is not suggested that he is anything other than a foolish dupe who should have been more suspicious.8221;
Haneef applied for bail after being charged but the hearing on his application was adjourned to Monday by a Brisbane court. The Commonwealth opposed his bail, conceding the offence was perhaps at the margins but by no means insignificant, with a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.
Apart from the fact that the Ahmed brothers8217; SIM was traced to Haneef, he also came under suspicion for trying to leave Australia soon after the foiled attacks on a one-way ticket to India.
A report in The Sydney Morning Herald said that the Australian Federal Police had obtained evidence that Haneef sent an e-mail to an associate shortly after the failed attacks saying he would have to leave Australia in a hurry and did not mention visiting his ailing wife and child. According to the report, much of the case against Haneef rests on this e-mail.
Haneef and his family have said he was on his way to Bangalore to visit his wife and newborn daughter.
Police allege Haneef remained in close contact with Kafeel after coming to Australia and also had links with the Iraqi doctor charged in the attacks, Bilal Abdulla.
THE LINE-UP SO FAR
Detained: 8
Indians Kafeel and Sabeel Ahmed, cousin Mohd Haneef; Iraqi doctor Bilal Abdulla; Jordanian doctor Mohd Asha and his wife Marwa; and two unidentified trainee doctors
Charged: 3
8226; Bilal Abdulla: Conspiring to set off explosives
8226; Sabeel Ahmed: Having information that could prevent an act of terror
8226; Mohd Haneef: Providing 8220;reckless8221;
support to a terrorist organisation
8226; Released: 1
8226; Marwa Asha
