A top legal body in Australia on Thursday sought a review of Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews's decision to revoke the visa of Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef, charged in connection with the failed UK terror plot.
In a letter to Attorney General Philip Ruddock, the Australian Lawyers Alliance called for the review of Andrews' decision and also argued that Haneef's lawyer Stephen Keim did not act illegally when he released to media the first police interview of his client.
"From the advice I have received Keim has not acted illegal when he released the transcript to the media," an ALA statement quoted its President Ian Brown as saying.
In the letter to Ruddock, the ALA commended Keim's action and described him as "a person of great integrity".
"The suggestion that Keim's action was a contempt, or some how prejudiced or delayed the fair trial of his client is nonsense," it read.
"If anything, it assisted to mitigate the prejudice caused by selective leaks of parts of the transcript and prejudicial statements about Haneef, including those by Andrews, the letter said.
"The transcript undoubtedly will be an exhibit in any committal proceedings -- as first law officer you must have known these things when you unfairly branded Keim's actions unethical, and suggested that the transcript's release may delay Haneef's trial," it said.
"If you are truly concerned about delay in Haneef's trial, we suggest that you ask Minister Andrews to stop making prejudicial statements about Haneef, and review his decision to send Haneef to Villawood Detention Centre, where he will be effectively deprived of Keim's capable representation," it said.
Prime Minister John Howard had on Wednesday denied that his government had leaked any documents in relation to the arrest of Haneef.
Howard, The Australian reported, said the government was not prosecuting the case and it was being done by the Australian Federal Police, but added that he kept "hearing references to the government leaking documents."
"The government has not leaked any documents, I saw the lawyer for Haneef (Keim) on television last night and the implication of his comments was that the government had leaked documents, the government hasn't leaked anything," he said.
"If anything was leaked early in the handling of the case, well I condemn that with equal vigour as I condemn the leaking of the transcript of the interview between the police and Haneef," he added. "I do not think it is helpful to the proper handling of cases for there to be any leaking."
"We haven't had possession of documents. The Australian Federal Police don't take any directions from us," Howard said.
Keim had "melodramatically" said "come and get him" over the leak, the Prime Minister commented. "Nobody is seeking to come and get anybody, we want a proper adjudication and I don't think anyone is helped by leaking documents."
