JURIST - Paper Chase: Australia police withdraw bid to extend detention of uncharged UK terror suspect

[JURIST] The Australian Federal Police (AFP) [official website] Friday withdrew a motion seeking to hold for questioning an Indian doctor possibly linked with the failed UK car bomb attacks [JURIST report] an additional 72 hours without charges. Attorney General Philip Ruddock [official website] suggested that police may have withdrawn the request because they feel they can complete their interrogation of Dr. Mohammad Haneef within the initial time limit of 24 hours, but The Australian reported Friday that several documents suggested police have not been able to find any conclusive evidence of terrorist activity [report] since arresting Haneef on July 2.

Haneef is second cousin to one of the two men who drove a car into Glasgow Airport [BBC report] before setting it alight. Some lawyers and human rights experts, including former Australian High Court [official website] chief justice Sir Gerard Brennan [academic profile], have criticized the terror laws holding Haneef [text], calling them vague and even "draconian" [JURIST report]. In recent months, the UK government has considered amending its own anti-terrorism laws to extend detention periods [JURIST report] for uncharged terror suspects. AFP has more. The Australian has additional coverage.

7:10 PM ET - Australian police have now charged Haneeef with providing support to a terrorist organization. AP has more.

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