ਲੀਕ ਹੋਏ ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸਾਲ 2007 ਵਿਚ ਬ੍ਰਿਟੇਨ ਦੇ ਇੱਕ ਹਵਾਈ ਅੱਡੇ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਅੱਤਵਾਦੀ ਹਮਲੇ ਮਗਰੋਂ ਭਾਰਤੀ ਡਾਕਟਰ ਹਨੀਫ਼ ਮੁਹੰਮਦ ਦੀ ਗਿਰਫਤਾਰੀ ਪਿੱਛੋਂ ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਵਿਚਲੀ ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਦੀ ਹਾਵਰਡ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਅੱਤਵਾਦ ਕੇਸਾਂ ਦੇ ਮੁਲਜ਼ੀਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਪੁੱਛਗਿੱਛ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਚੁੱਪ ਰਹਿਣ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਨੂੰ ਖਤਮ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵ ਤੇ ਗੰਭੀਰਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ।
ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਦੇ ਅਟਾਰਨੀ ਜਨਰਲ ਫਿਲਿਪ ਰਡਕ ਨੇ ਡਾਕਟਰ ਹਨੀਫ਼ ਦੀ ਹਿਰਾਸਤ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਕਈ ਨਵੇਂ ਕ਼ਾਨੂਨ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਤੇ ਕਾਫੀ ਜ਼ੋਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵ ਵੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਿ ਅੱਤਵਾਦ ਦੇ ਮਾਮਲਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਪੁੱਛਗਿੱਛ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਮੁਲਾਜ਼ਿਮ ਆਪਣੇ ਚੁੱਪ ਰਹਿ ਸਕਣ ਦੇ ਹੱਕ ਦਾ ਇਸਤੇਮਾਲ ਨਾ ਕਰ ਸਕਣ।
ਇਸ ਪ੍ਰਸਤਾਵ ਦਾ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾਤਰ ਮੰਤਰੀਆਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ।
ਡਾਕਟਰ ਹਨੀਫ਼ ਨੂੰ ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਿਹਾ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਕਿਓਂਕਿ ਓਹਨਾ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਕੋਈ ਸਬੂਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲੇ ਸਨ। ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਆ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਨਾ ਕੇਵਲ ਓਹਨਾ ਤੋਂ ਮੁਆਫੀ ਮੰਗੀ ਬਲਕਿ ਭਾਰੀ ਹਰਜਾਨਾ ਵੀ ਦਿੱਤਾ।
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Leaked cabinet documents obtained by the ABC that have become known as the Cabinet Files, have revealed that the Howard government was seriously considering revoking an individual’s right to remain silent when being questioned by police, after an Indian doctor was arrested in connection with the 2007 Glasgow airport bombing.
The National Security Committee debated the anti-terror measure after Dr Mohammed Haneef’s arrest, who was in Australia on a working visa at that time. The Australian government later apologised to him and awarded a substantial compensation.
Citing the cabinet documents, the ABC reports that the then Attorney General, Phillip Ruddock pushed for a range of new offences to be created while Dr Haneef was still being investigated.
Mr Ruddock is also reported to have sought an amendment to a suspect’s right to remain silent “to allow a court to draw adverse inference” in terrorism trials where the accused rely on evidence not mentioned during police questioning.
The ASIO and the AFP supported the proposal, but most of the senior ministers in the National Security Committee rejected it.
Current ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis, who was an adviser in the Prime Minister’s National Security Division also rejected the proposal, arguing it would involve “more risks than benefits”.
"Any strengthening of the counter-terrorism powers will attract significant media and public debate," Mr Lewis said.
Then 28-year-old Dr Haneef was training to be a specialist when he was arrested on 2 July 2007 at Brisbane airport before boarding a flight to India. Despite his explanation that he had to be with his wife and new-born daughter, he was kept in AFP detention for twelve days and his visa was cancelled.
Dr Haneef is distantly related to Kafeel Ahmed and Sabeel Ahmed who were involved in the 2007 attack in which a 4x4 filled with propane gas canisters was driven into the Glasgow airport terminal and set alight.
Later, the police said there was no evidence of Dr Haneef’s involvement in the attack.
"The AFP acknowledges that it was mistaken and that Dr Haneef was innocent of the offence of which he was suspected. The commonwealth apologises and hopes that the compensation to be paid to Dr Haneef will mark the end of an unfortunate chapter and allow Dr Haneef to move forward with his life and career,” the AFP said in a statement in December 2010.
A judicial inquiry into this case also found the evidence against Dr Haneef “totally deficient”.
A spokesperson for Mr Howard told the ABC no such change was made to the law.
