A relative of Mohammed Haneef, who is in Australia, has sought fair trial for the Indian doctor charged over last month's failed UK terror plot, saying that he is innocent and a victim of circumstances.
Imran Siddiqui, a cousin of Haneef's wife Firdous Arshiya, arrived in Brisbane late last night from Bangalore.
After speaking to a community forum in Brisbane discussing 27-year-old Haneef's plight, Siddiqui told reporters that the Indian doctor was innocent and should be released from custody.
Haneef has been charged with providing support to a terrorist organisation after he gave a mobile phone SIM card to a second cousin, who was later allegedly involved in the failed car bombings in the UK.
"I've come to take him back -- he's innocent that I know," Siddiqui was quoted as saying by the media here. "We know the truth is that he's not connected to these things."
"It's not wrong on my part to expect that he should be released with all respect and dignity," Siddiqui said, adding that he did not know Haneef's second cousins Sabeel and Kafeel Ahmed, held in UK over the failed terror plot.
"I've never met them (the Ahmed brothers) so I don't know much about these guys," he said.
Siddiqui said he was seeking permission to visit Haneef, who is being held at the Wolston Correctional Centre. "I want to tell him that his wife and child are doing fine." Haneef is yet to see his infant daughter, who was born on June 26.
"I should say in these kind of circumstances, which were never expected, the family has been together and ... his wife, we never knew that she was such a strong person," Siddiqui said.
Siddiqui said that Haneef's family had found the ordeal to be "traumatic", but was coping well. "It has been quite difficult but still the family is coping well."
He said anyone who knew Haneef would be shocked by the allegations.
Siddiqui, however, said the family was pleased with Haneef's legal team so far and thanked the judiciary for granting him bail.
Siddiqui was welcomed at Brisbane by Emad Soliman, a Democrats' candidate for the federal seat of Moretonwho, who said he felt compelled to meet him and support the family.
Soliman said it was important that Siddiqui felt welcome in Australia.
"I don't believe in guilt by association," he said and added the 30,000-strong Muslim community in Brisbane was concerned by the case, and confirmed that several members of the community had been questioned by the Federal Police.
"I think we're in fear that who's going to be next," he said.\
Haneef's solicitor Peter Russo, who was also at the airport, said he was unsure when Siddiqui would be able to visit Haneef.
Siddiqui said he had only met Haneef for "a few hours" in the past but his family told him he is a "very nice guy".
"The family has chosen me because of my exposure abroad," he said.
Siddiqui earlier told the packed forum that Haneef was "the victim of circumstances".
"After all this hard work, after being a model citizen, after losing his father at a very early age, going through all this, maintaining his family and then right (when) he's relishing the hard work which he's been doing over the years, someone has to face ... that," he said and urged authorities to ensure that "the truth comes out" and that Haneef is given a fair trial.
"I think the authorities should definitely, all over the world, think about this and see that, you know, innocent people are not being targeted," he said.
