Australia’s immigration minister Kevin Andrews has just released selected transcripts of Bangalore doctor Mohammed Haneef‘s conversation in an internet chatroom with his brother in Bangalore the afternoon before he was arrested in Brisbane while flying out to India with a one-way ticket.
Evidence which the minister claims suggests that Haneef had prior knowledge of the failed suicide bomb attack on Glasgow Airport by his cousin Kafeel Ahmed.
“In it, the brother of (Dr) Haneef says ‘nothing has been found out about you’ and asked when Dr Haneef would be getting out, to which (Dr) Haneef replied ‘today’.
“The brother asked whether he had permission to take leave and what he told the (Gold Coast) hospital.
“Dr Haneef said he told them his baby was born in an emergency caesarean. The brother told him to ‘tell them that you have to as you have a daughter born, do not tell them anything else’.
“The brother then said not to delay his departure and not to let anyone else use his number in Australia, nor to give it to anyone.
“The brother added that ‘auntie’ told him that brother Kafeel used it, he’s in some sort of project over there,” Mr Andrews said, in a reference to UK bombing accused Kafeel Ahmed…”
Read the full story here: Andrews documents Haneef suspicions
31 July 2007 at 4:34 pm
Addendum to story: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22167261-1702,00.html
THE lawyer for Mohamed Haneef says information released tonight by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews is “more smoke and mirrors” and not confidential evidence, as he had led Australians to believe.
Mr Andrews has been under pressure to justify his cancellation of Dr Haneef’s visa despite terror-related charges against the Indian national being dropped.
Tonight Mr Andrews released previously unreleased evidence of a chat room conversation involving Dr Haneef, in which his brother told him to leave Australia quickly.
Mr Andrews also said Dr Haneef’s attempt to urgently depart Australia appeared based on a false pretext, raising suspicions he was aware of a bomb plot in the UK.
Dr Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo, speaking from Bangalore in India, said the details revealed tonight by Mr Andrews, including a run-down of the chat room conversation between Dr Haneef and his brother in India, were covered during a police interview.
He said he was yet to receive a transcript of that particular interview.
“If the Government will give us the second record of interview then we can make a judgment call on whether it should be released, so that then the public can be fully informed,” he told Macquarie Radio tonight.
Mr Russo said the information covered in that interview was “hardly secret”.
“(Mr Andrews) has led the Australian public to believe that this is the secret information, it is hardly secret information if it was put to my client in the second record of interview,” Mr Russo told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
“And therefore, the Director of Public Prosecutions would have had access to that when they were making their judgment call (to drop the case).
“It is more smoke and mirrors from the minister.”
31 July 2007 at 4:50 pm
Onething for sure, haneef and his wife reasoning for one way ticket, that three of them(haneef,his wife and kid) wanted to travel back together is very very suspicious to me. A person who is not ready to take care of his pregnanent wife or a family which is not ready to allow their pregnant daughter to stay abroad, will no way allow their daughter and couple of months old kid to go abroad. Atleast that is the case with 99.9% cases in this part of the world. Either Haneef knew of glasgow plot or may be he was afraid after he identified the burning kafeel in newspaper photos.Ofcourse there is always that .01% and also exceptions.
31 July 2007 at 6:22 pm
I am surprised that a lawyer from Australia is spending so much time in India. Does he not have any other clients over there? Obviously he is expecting a slice of the money that Haneef would probably get if he wins his case of unlawful imprisonment. There is something much deeper than a mistake on the part of Australian police. His cousin sabeel’s case will come up in the court in Britain. My guess is Haneef has a brief interlude before something serious sticks on him.
31 July 2007 at 7:24 pm
[...] a fine blog, has breaking news on chat-room transcripts released by Australian authorities; commentary on the media frenzy and a [...]
31 July 2007 at 8:03 pm
The real case abt Haneef will be fought in UK, not in Australia. Because its in UK, where he lived with his cousins, terrorism was plotted, executed, his cousins were indoctrinated.
UK Police is keeping mum so far, not given clean chit to Haneef. Indian media should stop this media circus of ‘apologies’.
31 July 2007 at 8:19 pm
webmaster budhdhyora,
ee haneefappan visya odi odi saakagbuttade..vapas bandavnalla, allig budi avunna avan paadge.. avana bagge innu jaasti poli kaalaji byaadra…byaare yenaadroo isya iddre wasi post maadteerya?
31 July 2007 at 9:12 pm
kh, noDi neevu obreya sariyaagi yeLiddu, sumke bere kelsa ilva namge,aa vayyana innu avana paaDge buTTubuDI, vaapis bandidde doDdu…ide kelsa bere kaDe aagididdare spare parts barta iddavu, ivattu visya bere ayte, Ibdia cricketnaage geddiddu oLLedallva…ada kurtu mataaDi buddhi
31 July 2007 at 9:54 pm
In all this media frenzy one elementary question has not been asked–Why the wife/family of Haneef using a PR /event management firm { which charges up to 25000INR perday] to chreograph their pathos–
After the prodding by PR firm -the wife of Hannef talks of Ministry of External affairs which was earlier ” external minister” and High commissioner which was earlier our “foreign embassy people”
Can some one throw light on it–
How haneef found time and enthusisam to sign that contract with channel 9 in the midst of his depression?
Dahl me kuch kala hai!!
1 August 2007 at 2:47 am
Haneef’s lawyer Russo is cirling for a share in compensation, pitching his tent in Bangalore and keeping his client’s profile high in the media. Kafeel and sabeel the second cousins to Haneef and part of the nefarious ‘cambridge mob’ that plotted the failed efforts in London and Glasgow. The Aussies particularly the Amnesty brigade must be having a death wish when they cry foul. They do not want to belief until a burning fourwheeler rams their Sydney Airport terminal or acar packed with flammable gas cyliders parked near Sydney Harbour Bridge is remotely triggered to cause an inferno. His relative said Haneef is interested in working in Dubai (Star of Mysore). That is the place for him. Any mischiefs by him would find him staring at his severed limbs in a market corner in Dubai.
1 August 2007 at 10:08 am
There is also rumour flying around that Haneef through Imran fixed a deal with channel 9 for about A$ 100K to 150K for an exclusive interview with them. In fact Russo has praised Imran for his negotiation skills without elaborating. This may be the reason for Russo to stay in India to take his pound of flesh. I wish the clear picture emerges soon. I also fail to understand why all the things managed by Imran and his family and they did not allow Haneef, his wife and his lawer to reply when they were asked direct questions.
1 August 2007 at 12:01 pm
I Still think he is not as innocent as it is made out now. And i was feeling pathetic when our Honorable CM was meeting/offering where as he never bothered to rx bodies of our slained soldiers.
1 August 2007 at 12:34 pm
kaLaru Saar kaLaru…
1 August 2007 at 3:30 pm
Our CM is only playing minority card, nothing else.Who knows what kind of money Hanif has, whose money.
1 August 2007 at 4:27 pm
Haneef is certainly not innocent….He is innocent only to the extent of
- Law requires more-hard-evidence (than what is available on the table in black-and-white)
- May not be actively part, but certainly passive (awareness about behavior of his cousins and may be more guys)
In most cases, TRUE innovent person would have forogtten about the whole story and get going with his life instead of series-of press-meet, legal-action, etc. etc…. Now that he is out of the clutch, acting smart!!!!
-If it was case of he wanting to visit Bangalore to see new-born baby, he would have discussed and made vacation plan at least at work-place. Data says that he had not discussed/agreed anything about his vacation plan. So, one-way ticket story (lack-of-money) etc. are OK for legal system, but TRUTH is more-than-law. So far, I have not seen anyone who takes OFF without discussing at workplace (manager, at least couple of colleagues etc.)
ANYWAY, IT IS HIS TIME TO GIVE AND AUS-GOVERNMENT TO RECEIVE!!!!
1 August 2007 at 4:28 pm
Imagin that the Ausis now find solid evdence to prosicute Haneef for Terrorism related matter, will the Indian Govn. deport him to Australia?
It may look hipothetical but it can happen.
1 August 2007 at 9:38 pm
Did any one read today’s Kannada newspapers? CM has been grilled by Congress guys in the Legislature council on Haneef issue. The demand from the Congress people like HK Patil is “State Government must bear the entire legal expenses of Haneef at Australia”. While the hapless CM admits that so far no request for help has been received from Haneef, and as and when such requests are received, he would attend to them!
Haneef deserves a Karnataka Ratna Award, for having managed and manouvered this kind of publicity!
1 August 2007 at 10:19 pm
Haneef is yet to condemn the Glasgow bombing. Being in touch thro’ chatroom as to what he should say and do and claiming that he is not aware of anything… Why is Siddiqui running the show all over and Haneef saying’ no coments’ to all questions seems funny..
Hope HDK won’t make him the Dean in Ramnagar RGHUS.. Health Institute
1 August 2007 at 10:29 pm
kai thumba kelsa iro Aus. layaroo ivattu MYsorinaage aavre antha suddi. Yellarigu vasi break bekittu. Angeya churmuriyavarella aa vayyana isya buTTubuTTu bere isya maathaaDoNa allave
2 August 2007 at 12:53 am
The Aussies will get at the truth. The court in Australia will rule in favour of the government and the work VISA will say cancelled. The intelligence reports are not released but will be made available to the judge in a criminal case in British-style court which an Australian court closely resembles. If I were Aussie minister I would give Haneef his VISA back , let him again, not bother him for some time and nail him when sufficient evidence comes out.
2 August 2007 at 2:03 am
Recently a brave soldier (col.venugopal) died in kashmir fighting terrorists. Our politicians are busy meeting Haneef and offering him government job and all kinds of facilities. They don’t have time to visit and console the families of our brave soldiers died fighting militants and terrorists. What a pathetic state of affairs India is getting into? future looks grim with these ploticians at helm of affairs…
2 August 2007 at 3:00 am
Based on suspecious activities of Haneef, I think He must be grilled even at home to make sure that he has no links with any terrorists that are a threat to India.
2 August 2007 at 3:36 am
Col.Vasanth Venugopal (from Bangalore) Commanding officer of 9 Maratha Light infantry was killed in an encounter with muslim extremists in Kashmir. The Col. died for the country,leaving his wife and children.
Surely our Prime minister Dr.Singh will get an undisturbed good sleep!
2 August 2007 at 9:39 pm
Col. Venugopal laid his life down so all of us (PM included) get a good night’s sleep. He certainly needs all our respects. May his soul rest in peace. Maybe a tribute by Churumuri would be in order.
I feel the govt, media and all of us should get on with more pressing issues related to our country and let law take its own course instead of prolonging this diversion.
2 August 2007 at 10:29 pm
Capt. and Faldo, Let us salute the Brave officer for his sacrifice instead of worrying what would happen to a man who caused so much of discomfort to all.
3 August 2007 at 1:15 am
I agree heroes like the Colonel should get all the publicity and not someone with a shady background like Haneef.
3 August 2007 at 4:03 am
The entire media space is dominated by l’affaire Dutt and Haneef. Not a mention of this valiant son of the country (Col. Vasant). To top it if reports are true top govt. leaders including the CM did not find time to receive the body. Maybe protocol does not require them to but when they can find time to attend a media circus there could have been some consideration shown to a real hero of the nation.
3 August 2007 at 5:49 am
Dear All,
Looks like DB, Ranga, Mysore Boy and others, some ‘Cheddis’ were right after all. Read the latest on the Doc Haneef’s innocence…:)
Looks like our ‘innocent’ Doc was the poster boy of some ‘deep conspiracy’–enjoy the press conferences! Now, waiting for Koppal Lad, SoulTruth, Anonymous, V Malliah and others to reply.
3 August 2007 at 9:35 am
The day[ actually night] Hannef landed- at bangalore airport -his wife has been made to shut up–
Will any journalist [ brave or otherwise!] try to interview her now to get her views /feelings. Whatever happened to our woman empowerment noise makers or even investigative “break news” specialists_-
Come on try to reach his wife and child now–
rvaidya200
3 August 2007 at 10:18 pm
To me Haneef looks like a ‘korama’. I have a feeling he was aware of the terrorrist activities in London. What was he doing at the resort ducking the media? It’s a shame that we are treating him like a celebrity.
3 August 2007 at 10:23 pm
Protocol is what one creates. Dead bodies do not vote even a hero like the colonel, but bearded living muslims do. The Karnataka CM is an infantile blighter and represents the politicians of India now a days.
Haneef’s cousin Kaleef it is reported today is dead. He was caught while ramming the flaming four wheeler. His cousin and the cousin of Haneef is in police cell and before the Karantaka CM recommend Haneef for Bharata Ratna award he should pause and think about what would happen if the new Bharata Ratna awardee is the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant later this year.
4 August 2007 at 11:14 am
Probably the CM is right in offering him a job. In such a case the State need worry about the Doctor doing some mischief somewhere and then scratchins his …. for treatment. Confine him within the State . that must be the motto of our CM.
4 August 2007 at 9:02 pm
Ranga , just how old are you?
5 August 2007 at 8:09 am
DB,
Haneef was probably directly involved in the terrorist attack and got away with it. And he probably was/is a jihadi. That was not the point I made sometime about khaki cheddis. It was about the cheddis on the forum acting like jihadis.
BTW your ‘cheddis’ comment is kinda funny :) And you could call the rest of us pseudos (like BC does).
5 August 2007 at 8:23 pm
wanna know,
I am old enough to know that your brain is too small to make any contribution.
5 August 2007 at 10:45 pm
Ranga,
The only reason I am staying away from commenting frequently is because most of you here who are old enough to be my father or grand father are not worth to be good role models for today’s generation.
This is the first time I am seeing a lot of nauseating communal hatred from educated Hindu oldies anywhere on the net.
6 August 2007 at 2:46 am
Wanna Know.
Do you wanna know? As I expected you show singular ignorance. When We explain what the realities are in respect of Haneef and his cousins( not exonerating Haneef and adapting a wait and see attitude), and juxtapose this to the attitude of the CM of Karnataka, there is ‘nothing nauseating’ about this. You should remember that this blog is for free discussion and contribution and seeing your comments in this light, you need to grow up a bit. Perhaps Haneef and his cousins and even the CM of Karnataka are your role models. I have no problems with this, but I have the freedom to comment responsibly which I am doing with specific contribution. You have anything to say about the posting ‘ Haneef’s chatroom conversation”? then say it? If you were my grand son and say things with a one liner as you have said, I will have serious talking to you.
6 August 2007 at 3:05 am
Wanna Know,
Wanna know a bit more about Haneef’s and his cousins’ intentions ? It is they who cited communal reasons for attempting to blow up my friends and relatives and their kids in streets of London and at the Glasgow airport. There is enough evidence that the ‘Cambridge mob’- Kaleel, Sabeel, Haneef plus others ware planning atrocities months before. I suppose you cannot fathom this which explains your one liner. The best approach for you is to shut up or you will blurt out the nonsense of communal hatred against many bloggers here whose only sin is to comment on the outrageous activities planned by Haneef et al. in the name of their religion.
6 August 2007 at 5:54 am
Ranga,
Very aptly said! Wanna Know is “clearly not-in-the-know”
Wanna Know but don’t want to listen there is nothing communal about a criminal act–in this case a terrorist act! These guys comprising the Cambridge mob are ordinary ‘garden’ muslims you see in Bangalore and Mysore. It is scary that these types have so much ‘Jihadi’ candles burning bright in their hearts! I was in Mysore last year same time, and I found it disturbing to see Taliban-style burqas on women with their husbands enjoying Cheluvamba Park. I found the scene profoundly sad–these men looked half-angry and were all bearded…this was not the Mysore I knew.
Now we have Wanna Know types who know nothing!
6 August 2007 at 4:54 pm
Ranga, Buddi,
Your replies show u both in bad light. Thats all I wanted. rofl! GOODBYE!
6 August 2007 at 8:12 pm
DB,
I agree with you. My relatives say that in Mysore parks they come across women with burqas and husbands with Taliban style beards. One of my cousins born in Mysore and living in Mysore said that she had to pinch herself
after seeing this brigade in a park and wondered where Mysore was going. She the only saree -clad woman in that park, felt isolated and to some extent intimidated got out of the park fast. when she narrated her experience to me later, I also did not recognise Mysore I knew for 30 summers. With the Haneef bunch indulging in burning automobile acrobatics, and the stupid infantile CM rewarding the guy with a murky past, one wonders where will it all end.
7 August 2007 at 12:24 am
I am Col. Vasanth’s cousin. Thank you for your kind words regarding him. Please be assured that the reports regarding his virtues are, if anything, understated. Many of the articles spoke of his patriotism, bravery, and sense of duty. But first and foremost, I will remember his kindness and humility.
Why anyone would seek to defend the crowd that took such a man from us is beyond me.
7 August 2007 at 1:38 am
One cannot comment on the Muslim ladies wearing burqua,it is their religious tenet.But one can observe in Mysore that burqua clad women have increased.
Now,this is one of surprise and also little suspicion.
Majoriy of the Hindu women/girls have ceased to wear ‘Kumkum’(Bindi) on their forehead and waering of bangles due to convent english education, not much compulsion on them.In 1955-58 when I was in St.Philomena’s college very few muslim girls used to bring burqua and wearing it while going outside.
Most of them are studying/studied in Christian cionvents and it is a wonder that how modernity has not touched them or is there any secret ‘Fatwa’?
7 August 2007 at 2:39 am
I am also curious to know if there is somekind of a secret ‘fatwa’ on muslim women to compulsorily wear burqua as can be seen in the dramatic increase in burqua clad college going women on the Bangalore/Mysore city streets. Twenty years ago you could rarely see muslim college going women wearing burqas and there was less compulsions compared to today. Just curious.
7 August 2007 at 4:39 am
Captain A.K. Char,
Likewise, it is no concern of mine if they prefer to be in burqa. It is just that the whole park landscape was littered in black figures foretelling a form of sinister protest against the secular values of plural India. Next, we may see Vivekananda statue pulled down in the park because it offends somebody. We may soon see protests against schools that teach anything remotely Indian.
8 August 2007 at 1:12 am
DB
I do feel that there is increasing militancy among muslim men which in turn influences their women. Hence once sees a dramatic increase in burqa clad and beard-toting figures even in European capitals. Seeing this public parade of religious fervour, the French government has decreed that no outward symbolism of religion should enter a school. In Britain, one hospital authorities did not know what to do when a muslim woman who trained as a doctor suddenly decided to wear burqa when hired as a ward doctor, and patients could not understand what she was saying, and were fed up with looking at a pair of eyes! And a muslim school teacher-trainee clad in Western clothes and perfectly happy to sit with fellow men interviewees when selected started come to school in burqa and attempted to teach spoken English using phonetic method. The children had problems in understanding the teacher particularly understanding the sounds coming out of a black tent! All they saw was a pair of brown eyes and could not see their teacher’s lip movement!. After witnessing this futile and ridiculous exercise on the part of the new burqa clad teacher, the head teacher asked her to remove the burqa and come to the class in a similar clothe she wore at the time of the interview. Her rejoinder was that as a muslim she could not face men who are not her relatives! . When asked why was she comfortable with Western clothes and chatting with strange men at the time of her interview, she had no answer. She refused to give up the burqa, questioned the decision of the School which asked her to come in a dress in which the children could see her lips, asked the high court to quash the decision of the School and lost. She was dismissed from her job as even after the court ruling she refused to give up her burqa.
I have come across burqa clad women students refusing to show their face sitting in exam sin universities where the initial ritual is to check their IDs by examiners, and demanding female examiners. A particular burqa clad woman recently in a university exam refused to show her face and asked for a woman examiner assuming that the senior examiner may not find one at that time. The senior examiner quickly found one , and when the female examiner asked the burqa woman to show her face, the woman still refused. When asked to select the choice of staying to do the exam with her ID photograph checked against her face or leaving the exam room, the woman chose the latter. It turned out that the ‘burqa woman’ was a man hired by the real woman student to write her exam !