Kevin Andrews said Dr Mohammed should go home when he had no right to work here. Dr Mohammed, who always wanted to go home, has done so. Having done so, Kevin would have us believe that the Doctor's departure is now further cause for suspicion. Afterall, why on earth would he want to leave? Must be suspicious. Kevin wants his cake and he'll eat it too.
They wondered why Dr Mohammed wanted to live somewhere other than his own appartment. Why, afterall, wouldn't he live there? Where did the money come from? The reason, his home had been trashed totally by the police. Uninhabitable. I've never yet heard of cops repairing the damage from a raid. As for the money it cost, one wonders if our beloved gestapo immigration cops carried out their usual practice of billing the victim for her majesty's generosity.
Let alone saying sorry.
Which is just as well because honest john has said point blank that there is no-reason for the government to say "sorry" to the doctor. Not surprising, johnny appears congenitally incapable for saying "sorry". He kind of implies that someone else might want to say "sorry" to the Doctor, but fails to mention who. Maybe us?
Whining Alex has stuck his face into the affair in what he no doubt thinks of as a constructive manner, saying that this kind of thing happens all the time and why should a government say sorry for something that occurs all the time. Then he has another whinge against the traitorous dogs who questioned the integrity of the government in the process. "It's reprehensable," he says.
Perhaps whining alex is more honest than smart, because I couldn't agree with him more.
NB - the mystery of why Dr Mohammed was leaving australia at the particular time he was arrested has now been explained. Apparently his wife had given birth to their child six days earlier and this was as soon as he could get away from work to go back to see her and the baby. The timelines and circumstances might even have had some bearing on the fact that at that he had a one way, not return, ticket.
The fact he was leaving, on a one way ticket, on the day he did, were all referred to as part of the compelling picture of the evil terrorist painted by government and plod alike upon arrest.
30 July 2007
29 July 2007
A Coincidence?
Honest John and Smiling Phil (but maybe not Kevin Andrews) will no doubt be heaving sighs of relief with the recent announcement that Dr Mohammed Haneef is heading back to his loved ones in India. They will probably take a 'less said the better' approach to the issue from now. Their vendettas against the parties that are guilty for the fiasco will take place in private and probably in terms of preferment.
Old Kevin has to continue to hold the line, however. It is his witholding of Dr Mohammed's work visa which prevents the doctor's obtaining an income while under Immigration Department supervision. I wonder if he Dr Mohammed is building up a potential bill for the privelege, with no income with which to offset it? If so, it is good to know the immigration department's rules are working as designed.
With Mohammed out of the way and his lawyers resorting to making sure none of his property has been kept unlawfully, it might even become advisable to give the doctor back his good name. Then, either rely upon the indian government's good graces in preventing his return, or trust in the traumatising experience he has been put through as having sufficient effect upon him so as to make him not want to come back. Either way, he's gone.
The shameful behaviour of high ranking officials through the incident will be recast as misplaced honest loyalty, a couple big wig players might have to fall on their swords as pennance for following johnny's dog whistle, and we can get back into increasing government power over individual liberty. Smiling Phil is already licking his lips.
Is it a conincidence that while all this has been going on, the Australian government is in the process of making a decision about whether or not to sell india some of our uranium, despite their not being signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty?
Old Kevin has to continue to hold the line, however. It is his witholding of Dr Mohammed's work visa which prevents the doctor's obtaining an income while under Immigration Department supervision. I wonder if he Dr Mohammed is building up a potential bill for the privelege, with no income with which to offset it? If so, it is good to know the immigration department's rules are working as designed.
With Mohammed out of the way and his lawyers resorting to making sure none of his property has been kept unlawfully, it might even become advisable to give the doctor back his good name. Then, either rely upon the indian government's good graces in preventing his return, or trust in the traumatising experience he has been put through as having sufficient effect upon him so as to make him not want to come back. Either way, he's gone.
The shameful behaviour of high ranking officials through the incident will be recast as misplaced honest loyalty, a couple big wig players might have to fall on their swords as pennance for following johnny's dog whistle, and we can get back into increasing government power over individual liberty. Smiling Phil is already licking his lips.
Is it a conincidence that while all this has been going on, the Australian government is in the process of making a decision about whether or not to sell india some of our uranium, despite their not being signatory to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty?
27 July 2007
A Big Day - Freedom Resignation Censorship
Dr Mohammed Haneef has had the charge against him dropped, hints of the government now saying it should never have been laid, Mohammed freed from jail - into the arms of waiting immigration officials. Kevin Andrews is seeking advice on his decision to deport, so Dr Mohammed doesn't go straight into immigration detention. He now has to live at a residence as directed by the department, and will likely have regular reporting conditions. By all accounts he is keen to see his family, a cousin having flown over in the last week from India. Sadly, because his visa is presently suspended so is his employment. I guess this way the government gets him to go into debt to pay his own bills, while they continue to fuck around with his life.
Honest John, of course, is now out to change history to make himself appear all the more righteous. Thus, he is looking increasingly like sacking the fall guys, the Director of Public Prosecutions and Top Dog Plod. This guy (Johhn) reminds me increasingly of Stalin.
Steve Bracks has resigned from his premiership of the state of Victoria, citing personal reasons. A bit sad for that state, I think, as he seemed to be fairly well liked by most people (at least, not abusively hated). I myself have never really trusted him to be anything other than a power hungry labor politician. I wonder what will happen to his proposed high court challenge to Johnny's recent grab for federal control over the River Murray against Victoria's effective boycott of the 'national plan'. Are there any effective states' rights left, would be the eventual question to hit the high court.
Missionary Mal has lept on the centralist freight train in his usual inimitable style, publicly announcing he is inviting all and sundry to make suggestions about how he should spend the money he plans to remove from the states from their housing budgets. He will then choose the plan he likes the best. This is his idea of democracy. It will be some version of increased government subsidy of rack renters.
Finally, and most worryingly, is this news story about smiling phil's ramping up of censorship of politically 'incorrect' material. He seems to want to ban the publication of material advocating terrorism (as defined under the anti-democratic anti-terror laws brought in by this government). He wants to co-ordinate the definitions of 'terror' under present censorhip/classifaction processes with those of his anti-dem-terror laws.
Considering the possible broadness of definition of the terms 'advocate' and 'terror' under those laws, this will create a potent machinery for use by a future totalitarian state - the logical outcome of all of this. The treatment of Dr Mohammed shows how the forces of law and order, given a power, will use it. It will only take them to commit themselves fully and they will be able to imprison opponents of capitalist 'progress' under anti-dem-terror laws, and stiffle dissent or outcry of the chattering classes by shutting down their presses.
Not that this government would do that.
Honest John, of course, is now out to change history to make himself appear all the more righteous. Thus, he is looking increasingly like sacking the fall guys, the Director of Public Prosecutions and Top Dog Plod. This guy (Johhn) reminds me increasingly of Stalin.
Steve Bracks has resigned from his premiership of the state of Victoria, citing personal reasons. A bit sad for that state, I think, as he seemed to be fairly well liked by most people (at least, not abusively hated). I myself have never really trusted him to be anything other than a power hungry labor politician. I wonder what will happen to his proposed high court challenge to Johnny's recent grab for federal control over the River Murray against Victoria's effective boycott of the 'national plan'. Are there any effective states' rights left, would be the eventual question to hit the high court.
Missionary Mal has lept on the centralist freight train in his usual inimitable style, publicly announcing he is inviting all and sundry to make suggestions about how he should spend the money he plans to remove from the states from their housing budgets. He will then choose the plan he likes the best. This is his idea of democracy. It will be some version of increased government subsidy of rack renters.
Finally, and most worryingly, is this news story about smiling phil's ramping up of censorship of politically 'incorrect' material. He seems to want to ban the publication of material advocating terrorism (as defined under the anti-democratic anti-terror laws brought in by this government). He wants to co-ordinate the definitions of 'terror' under present censorhip/classifaction processes with those of his anti-dem-terror laws.
Considering the possible broadness of definition of the terms 'advocate' and 'terror' under those laws, this will create a potent machinery for use by a future totalitarian state - the logical outcome of all of this. The treatment of Dr Mohammed shows how the forces of law and order, given a power, will use it. It will only take them to commit themselves fully and they will be able to imprison opponents of capitalist 'progress' under anti-dem-terror laws, and stiffle dissent or outcry of the chattering classes by shutting down their presses.
Not that this government would do that.
24 July 2007
Get dem dere towers, boy!
John Patterson, 45, drove a tank around for a couple of hours destoying as many examples of his pet hate as he could. Luckily it was telephone base station towers he was after and not something else. He managed to get half a dozen of the bastards before his engine conked out and he got arrested. They capsicum sprayed him inside the tank before dragging him out head first. He had a beef against the towers because he blames them for his own occupational injuries (his head hurts) gained when he worked for telecom now telstra.
4 telstra towers fell down when hit by the tank, 4 optus towers remained standing. Says something about quality control?
We're now about half way through the twenty year period predicted by Dr French (Sydney) as being the period it would take to be able to properly appreciate the damage caused to our psyches and our societies by the several millionfold increase in electromagnetic frequency radiations cast out by these towers. He was talking about the athermal impact of these radiations.
When the mobile phone and digital priest hierarchs of the corporate man get out there and deny the postulations of John Patterson, and the courts send him off for psychiatric evaluation, they base their denials on coporate science. They look at thermal effects.
We'll see if John Patterson was right in about ten years time.
4 telstra towers fell down when hit by the tank, 4 optus towers remained standing. Says something about quality control?
We're now about half way through the twenty year period predicted by Dr French (Sydney) as being the period it would take to be able to properly appreciate the damage caused to our psyches and our societies by the several millionfold increase in electromagnetic frequency radiations cast out by these towers. He was talking about the athermal impact of these radiations.
When the mobile phone and digital priest hierarchs of the corporate man get out there and deny the postulations of John Patterson, and the courts send him off for psychiatric evaluation, they base their denials on coporate science. They look at thermal effects.
We'll see if John Patterson was right in about ten years time.
The Diary
So. Dr Mohammed got grilled about the terrorist names in his diary during his two week interrogation (24 hours if you believe the man). Turns out it wasn't his diary the interrogator was looking at as he asked his cunning questions. It was a copy of the diary. And the terrorist names had been written onto the copy by one of the interrogator's mates. Pity they didn't tell him till later.
What would the doctor have been thinking?
What would the doctor have been thinking?
23 July 2007
Sorry to all the honest missionaries
Interviewer: But even you've said that there is no economy in some of these communities?"
Missionary Mal: "Yes, but there should be ..."
The new big man of aboriginal affairs, Missionary Mal, gave his game away in the above roughly remembered extract of a radio interview he gave tonight. The emphasis of the 'should' was there in his voice. Put it elsewhere in the sentence, the meaning of the mind behind changes. Where it presently lies makes me think "idealogue". Which matches what I vaguely recall of Missionary Mal - besides the fact that I also seem to recall butchering up some other ministry a few years ago.
The statement fell during an interview caused by the axing of CDEP programs across the Northern Territory. CDEP (Community Development and Employment Programs) are state funded projects which utilise unemployed community members at cheap wages and part time hours for their labour. To my knowledge, obtained at the very edge of aboriginal society, these CDEP programs are usually the only real source of basic infrastructure in a community, and also are genuinely a source of both pride and income to those who are allowed on board.
Mal thinks that these things will come by the imposition of racialy based employment practices for every other job in these communities (ie. if a 'local' can do the job, then they get preference over the outsiders who, like now, probably stand an over 50 % of getting the job otherwise).
All this after so many of these communities had their local governing administrations axed and replaced by administrators who immediatly freeze things up, and after their national representitive body (ATSIC) was abolished - with hints of corruption to justify the action (that, from a government that was caught redhanded giving bribes worth nearly half a billion dollars to Sadaam Hussein!). And, of course, after the recent militarily backed take over of these communities by honest john's cops and assorted white professionals in white clothes.
A part of johnny's take over of aboriginal australia was the abolition of their present right to control who goes on their land and for what purpose through the permit system. When it is said that this is a 'takeover' of their land, Missionary Mal justifies it by saying it can't be for that reason as there are already about 1200 companies that have permits to prospect for minerals on aboriginal land. Of course, the issue is how many for whatever reason weren't allowed on...
He doesn't want to talk about that. Just like he didn't want to talk about what he meant by a 'real' economy in the interview he gave this evening.
22 July 2007
What a Legend.
Ben Cousins made his big return game this evening for the West Coast Eagles in their match against the Sydney Swans in Perth. For those that don't know recent Australian Football League History, these are the two teams who have won the national championship over the last two years. For that period they were clear and outstandingly superior to the other 14 teams in the competition. The Eagles were the premiers last year.
Ben Cousins was their captain. Hard playing, handsome, talented and skilled, he had an air of notoriety about him with his kicking around with gangsters, involved in various nefarious activities. Though to my knowledge he was never actually charged with anything.
What he did have as a favour of the wildside, however, was a nasty little drug habit by all accounts. This was a major crisis, both for him personally and the football world as a whole. Here was a 'role model' premiership captain, at his peak, who was incapable of continuing due to his methamphetamine habit.
So Ben toddled off to the US for a bit or rehab for a few weeks, and stayed out of the game for over half a year. Not totally out of the limelight at any time, his plight was used by drug campaigners, politicians, lawyers, and sportsmen for their own ends. One wondered at times how he'd be coping with the added pressure, brought about by the fact of his celebrity, on top of his rehab program and growing lack of match practice.
Tonight he returned to play at his home ground and the end result was quite spectacular. The Eagles won, by one of the larger margins of games between these two team for the last few years (couple of goals). Secondly, Cousins played pretty well the whole game. Thirdly, he got 39 (?) possessions - which is an amazingly high number of touches.
I think he equalled his own record for number of possessions. And this, from a brownlow medalist premiership captain, after an eight month break from the game played at any level, against one of the greatest teams in the land.
Even if I have my own issues with Ben, I gotta say, what a legend. Well Done.
PS - gave me great pleasure to write the above post and not have to put 'drugs' as a category tag for Ben!
Ben Cousins was their captain. Hard playing, handsome, talented and skilled, he had an air of notoriety about him with his kicking around with gangsters, involved in various nefarious activities. Though to my knowledge he was never actually charged with anything.
What he did have as a favour of the wildside, however, was a nasty little drug habit by all accounts. This was a major crisis, both for him personally and the football world as a whole. Here was a 'role model' premiership captain, at his peak, who was incapable of continuing due to his methamphetamine habit.
So Ben toddled off to the US for a bit or rehab for a few weeks, and stayed out of the game for over half a year. Not totally out of the limelight at any time, his plight was used by drug campaigners, politicians, lawyers, and sportsmen for their own ends. One wondered at times how he'd be coping with the added pressure, brought about by the fact of his celebrity, on top of his rehab program and growing lack of match practice.
Tonight he returned to play at his home ground and the end result was quite spectacular. The Eagles won, by one of the larger margins of games between these two team for the last few years (couple of goals). Secondly, Cousins played pretty well the whole game. Thirdly, he got 39 (?) possessions - which is an amazingly high number of touches.
I think he equalled his own record for number of possessions. And this, from a brownlow medalist premiership captain, after an eight month break from the game played at any level, against one of the greatest teams in the land.
Even if I have my own issues with Ben, I gotta say, what a legend. Well Done.
PS - gave me great pleasure to write the above post and not have to put 'drugs' as a category tag for Ben!
21 July 2007
From the Grave.
I read an article online today from The Australian, by Clive Williams (I think). It was actually published a few days ago. In it he talked about the fact that there's three high court judges who reach the age of 70 in the next couple of years, the first in August (?), the other two next year. From memory, it's the chief justice this year, and Kirby J is one of the ones to go next year. Of course, the significance of this is that honest john gets the chance to appoint at least one more high court judge during his tenure (and possibly three).
When you consider that fact that he has already appointed 6 (?) during his reign, with Menzies being the only top dick to appoint more (9(?)), you can see that he has well and truly had opportunity to stack the highest constitutional court in the land with men (they are all men, again, since the absence of Gaudron J) whom he believes are of his ilk. And johnny's canny enough to know that by getting it right he can influence the future of this country for the long term.
From the grave. So to speak.
When you consider that fact that he has already appointed 6 (?) during his reign, with Menzies being the only top dick to appoint more (9(?)), you can see that he has well and truly had opportunity to stack the highest constitutional court in the land with men (they are all men, again, since the absence of Gaudron J) whom he believes are of his ilk. And johnny's canny enough to know that by getting it right he can influence the future of this country for the long term.
From the grave. So to speak.
20 July 2007
If it was us ...
Remember THAT simcard? The one that was supposedly found in the burnt out jeep that had crashed into Glasgow bollards at the airport? The one which forms the 'real' basis of the charge of assisting a terrorist organisation against Dr Mohammed Haneef? The one that he gave his second cousin when he left the country? Where the sole thing which linked the giving of the card to the terrorist act was not really that it had been given to Dr Mohammed's cousin, but that it had been found in the wreck?
Well. The ABC has been reporting for over 12 hours now that the card was not found in the wreckage. Rather, it was found eight hours later, on the person of the cousin to which it had been given, in a different city. And the only substantial thing that this guy seems to have done is not tell the police immediately when he received a sms to look at a particular website (someone did look at the website from the guy's computer, the website contained a last will and testament). They aren't saying yet that it was this guy that looked at the website. But even if he did, it's looking pretty flimsy against him.
And if it's flimsy against him, then how flimsy is it against Dr Mohammed, who's sole offence so far seems to have given the bloke a simcard when Mohammed left the country? Eleven months ago? Not knowing that anyone involved was connected to a terrorist organisation (prosecution admit this at least), let alone that any of them were planning or would plan to commit a terrorist act?
The point of this all? Is simple - if the sole piece of real evidence which underlies the prosecution is not, as was said in court by prosecutors for the crown, found in guilty circumstances, and it is only those circumstances which really made the case have any legs at all, then poor old Dr Mohammed is sitting in solitary for, not only a trumped up case, but one which the prosecution have lied about in court to give it legs.
No wonder the government is refusing to comment.
Should they have a right to remain silent after all they've said so far? Or can we draw an inference from their sudden silence?
Afterall, they would if it was us that had been caught out ...
Well. The ABC has been reporting for over 12 hours now that the card was not found in the wreckage. Rather, it was found eight hours later, on the person of the cousin to which it had been given, in a different city. And the only substantial thing that this guy seems to have done is not tell the police immediately when he received a sms to look at a particular website (someone did look at the website from the guy's computer, the website contained a last will and testament). They aren't saying yet that it was this guy that looked at the website. But even if he did, it's looking pretty flimsy against him.
And if it's flimsy against him, then how flimsy is it against Dr Mohammed, who's sole offence so far seems to have given the bloke a simcard when Mohammed left the country? Eleven months ago? Not knowing that anyone involved was connected to a terrorist organisation (prosecution admit this at least), let alone that any of them were planning or would plan to commit a terrorist act?
The point of this all? Is simple - if the sole piece of real evidence which underlies the prosecution is not, as was said in court by prosecutors for the crown, found in guilty circumstances, and it is only those circumstances which really made the case have any legs at all, then poor old Dr Mohammed is sitting in solitary for, not only a trumped up case, but one which the prosecution have lied about in court to give it legs.
No wonder the government is refusing to comment.
Should they have a right to remain silent after all they've said so far? Or can we draw an inference from their sudden silence?
Afterall, they would if it was us that had been caught out ...
19 July 2007
Dishonest cops
No wonder top dog sergeant plod was so upset that the media printed out the record of interview of Dr Mohammed and the cops - seems that various of the 'leaks' made by his own boys weren't actually strictly accurate. For example, when they said that Dr Mohammed lived with his cousin (arrestee in relation to recent british bomb plot) they should have said that he stayed at his cousin's flat for six days while his cousin was away. Apparently there's a series of examples of where the cops have been dodgy. I'll have to get a copy of the transcript of the interview and read it for myself.
And when they say he's associated with a terrorist, they mean that he's associated with a person who's been imprisoned because he's charged with not immediately having told police of his brothers last will and testimony on the web.
Every day it looks thinner and thinner, the authorities more and more ridiculously heavy handed. And, at least in Dr Mohammed's case, the poor bugger seems to have just been born to the wrong religion. Not that we're a racist or bigoted country at all...
And when they say he's associated with a terrorist, they mean that he's associated with a person who's been imprisoned because he's charged with not immediately having told police of his brothers last will and testimony on the web.
Every day it looks thinner and thinner, the authorities more and more ridiculously heavy handed. And, at least in Dr Mohammed's case, the poor bugger seems to have just been born to the wrong religion. Not that we're a racist or bigoted country at all...
Drugs and Golf
John Player, an ageing progolfer, has spoken out to the media about alleged useage of 'performance enhancing drugs' amongst golfers on the eve of the US open. While he's probably not wrong in saying that various of the golfers out there have resorted to such chemical means of gaining the edge from Tiger Woods, one can't help but wonder that John said this when he did. IF some of his immediate competition is one of the suspect crew, he just might have rattled them enough to make a difference if the media takes up on it.
Of course, the world golf administrator didn't help things by saying that drug use couldn't happen in golf, because they're too nice and honourable and decent a bunch of blokes to do such wicked things. If he doesn't draw down compulsory testing on his sport by such stupid comments, then I reckon the golfers are very lucky people.
And if you're wondering what use could such drugs be to a golfer, take heed of the fact that international bocce is tested for, as well as lawn bowls at the national level here in Australia!
Of course, the world golf administrator didn't help things by saying that drug use couldn't happen in golf, because they're too nice and honourable and decent a bunch of blokes to do such wicked things. If he doesn't draw down compulsory testing on his sport by such stupid comments, then I reckon the golfers are very lucky people.
And if you're wondering what use could such drugs be to a golfer, take heed of the fact that international bocce is tested for, as well as lawn bowls at the national level here in Australia!
18 July 2007
Barrister upsets behemoth
The Queensland barrister representing imprisoned alleged terrorist Dr Mohammed Haneef today released to the media that part of the official record of interview of his client by federal police that was given to the Doctor in fulfillment of one of what few of his rights might still exist. He says he did this because there is a deliberate ploy by our 'law enforcement' agencies to selectively leak small snippets of the interview in order to crucify his client. In the transcript released, the good doctor earnestly maintains his innocence - the image created by the previous leaks, he looked shonky and shifty. Hmmm.
Illegal and unethical, says smiling phil - chief law officer of the land. Despicable, says honest john. A cause of delay of the legal process, if not a frustration of same, says top dog sergeant plod. Queensland barrister says he's happy to wait for them at his office if they wish to come and get him. So far, they haven't.
Smiling phil is now talking about changing our anti-democratic anti-terror laws so that those alleged to be involved with terrorism won't ever get bail ever again. In the last week, Dr Mohammed and, in an unrelated case, three sri lankan men charged over giving money to tamil tigers in their homeland, have been granted bail by australian courts. In the second case, the judge said as part of his reasoning that the case against the three accused was so weak that to not grant bail would be to undermine the basic underpinning of our legal system. And it shouldn't be forgotten that top dog sergeant plod said about Dr Mohammed's case that it too was very weak.
Nor should it be forgotten that those beating up the outraged outcry from the battlements about shonky lawyers, evil indians etc are those that are applauding the way they have (mis)used a law to both besmirch character and keep locked up in Australia Dr Mohammed (the law is designed for those whose character is already besmirched who you want to kick out after they've served their time). Commenting during the case before him, which began today, the federal judge who is looking at the lawfulness of the decision to revoke visa of Dr Mohammed is reported as saying that the character test used to justify the action is one which he himself would fail.
Of interest here also, the Indian government is beginning to show its upset about how we are treating one of their citizens. They have had words with the ambassador. Honest john would do well not to think that, all because his texan friend could laugh at the world as it grumbled about guantanamo bay and get away with it, arrogant dismissal of another nation's earnest concerns doesn't assist the war on terror in any way at all. Looking at Israel's gentle treatment of palestine and the palestinians tends to make me think the opposite.
Who is the terrorist, those tearing up the spirit and meaning of our laws, or the innocent man in jail?
I phrase it this way because to phrase it in any other is to remove the presumption of innocence from the doctor on this blog, and it is that presumption which underlies the freedom from arbitrary arrest and the liberty of all of our persons. It is a valuable thing.
Illegal and unethical, says smiling phil - chief law officer of the land. Despicable, says honest john. A cause of delay of the legal process, if not a frustration of same, says top dog sergeant plod. Queensland barrister says he's happy to wait for them at his office if they wish to come and get him. So far, they haven't.
Smiling phil is now talking about changing our anti-democratic anti-terror laws so that those alleged to be involved with terrorism won't ever get bail ever again. In the last week, Dr Mohammed and, in an unrelated case, three sri lankan men charged over giving money to tamil tigers in their homeland, have been granted bail by australian courts. In the second case, the judge said as part of his reasoning that the case against the three accused was so weak that to not grant bail would be to undermine the basic underpinning of our legal system. And it shouldn't be forgotten that top dog sergeant plod said about Dr Mohammed's case that it too was very weak.
Nor should it be forgotten that those beating up the outraged outcry from the battlements about shonky lawyers, evil indians etc are those that are applauding the way they have (mis)used a law to both besmirch character and keep locked up in Australia Dr Mohammed (the law is designed for those whose character is already besmirched who you want to kick out after they've served their time). Commenting during the case before him, which began today, the federal judge who is looking at the lawfulness of the decision to revoke visa of Dr Mohammed is reported as saying that the character test used to justify the action is one which he himself would fail.
Of interest here also, the Indian government is beginning to show its upset about how we are treating one of their citizens. They have had words with the ambassador. Honest john would do well not to think that, all because his texan friend could laugh at the world as it grumbled about guantanamo bay and get away with it, arrogant dismissal of another nation's earnest concerns doesn't assist the war on terror in any way at all. Looking at Israel's gentle treatment of palestine and the palestinians tends to make me think the opposite.
Who is the terrorist, those tearing up the spirit and meaning of our laws, or the innocent man in jail?
I phrase it this way because to phrase it in any other is to remove the presumption of innocence from the doctor on this blog, and it is that presumption which underlies the freedom from arbitrary arrest and the liberty of all of our persons. It is a valuable thing.
17 July 2007
Kevin/Andrew looks guilty - Johnny discovers Youtube
Our Immigration minister, Peter (or, is it Kevin?) Andrews has been doing the media travel stuff today, trying not to look too guilty about his ace trump trick over Dr Mohammed (the one where you pull your 'ministerial directive' out from your sleeve just as the other guy starts celebrating his win). He's not doing a very good job of looking justified. That's the disadvantage about having emotions (unlike bland old Phil) or being worried about being caught lying (unlike honest john).
He sidesteps the question about what is it he knows that the magistrate who granted Dr Mohammed bail didn't each time, eventually releasing several dozen pages of 'things the police told me (but not the secret bits)' to the media. Among the things the media now knows is that the cousin of mohammed used the evil simcard during the year following his cousin giving it to him (when cousin left country for Australia where the simcard would be no good). He is also guilty, apparently, of having spoken to his cousin on chatrooms. His cousin is known to have looked at websites that had bombmaking recipes on them. The charge they've pinned on one of the cousins in Britain is that he received a SMS directing him to a website (which was promptly accessed from his computer by 'someone') which was a last will and testament which is a 'suicide note'.
Dr Mohammed sits in Brisbane watch-house while his lawyers plan to challenge Kevin/Peter's ministerial directive in Federal court tomorrow morning. I don't give much for their chances, he's already given the media more than he'd have to give a court. But then again, maybe that's what this is all about?
And Labour's duck and dive strategy is pathetic. It seems to me that their attitude to my liberty, while perhaps not so dictatorial as the Lib's, is just as ignorant of its worth.
Finally for today - Johnny has released a 'climate change policy' on Youtube. First time for the libs, to release policy first online. Of interest to me was more the fact that the media seemed to be more interested in the Youtube angle than the 'policy' itself. For me, appears to be some tricky dick communications consultant looking to update a tired old man.
He sidesteps the question about what is it he knows that the magistrate who granted Dr Mohammed bail didn't each time, eventually releasing several dozen pages of 'things the police told me (but not the secret bits)' to the media. Among the things the media now knows is that the cousin of mohammed used the evil simcard during the year following his cousin giving it to him (when cousin left country for Australia where the simcard would be no good). He is also guilty, apparently, of having spoken to his cousin on chatrooms. His cousin is known to have looked at websites that had bombmaking recipes on them. The charge they've pinned on one of the cousins in Britain is that he received a SMS directing him to a website (which was promptly accessed from his computer by 'someone') which was a last will and testament which is a 'suicide note'.
Dr Mohammed sits in Brisbane watch-house while his lawyers plan to challenge Kevin/Peter's ministerial directive in Federal court tomorrow morning. I don't give much for their chances, he's already given the media more than he'd have to give a court. But then again, maybe that's what this is all about?
And Labour's duck and dive strategy is pathetic. It seems to me that their attitude to my liberty, while perhaps not so dictatorial as the Lib's, is just as ignorant of its worth.
Finally for today - Johnny has released a 'climate change policy' on Youtube. First time for the libs, to release policy first online. Of interest to me was more the fact that the media seemed to be more interested in the Youtube angle than the 'policy' itself. For me, appears to be some tricky dick communications consultant looking to update a tired old man.
16 July 2007
Haneef - the story so far ...
The following is my take on the tale of Mohammed Haneef so far. I think this one's going to run for a long time. So I thought it important to give this guide before events unfold further.
Mohammed is a young indian male doctor in Australia accused of "recklessly" giving "material assistance" to (suspected) "terrorists". He apparently gave his cousin (also a doctor, but in England) a simcard for his phone before leaving that country for this. Simcards from England don't work here. His cousin worked in England. Mohammed worked here in Australia. A year later, that simcard is found in the wreckage of one of the vehicles used in the recent attempted series of car bombings in Britain. There's no indication that it was used in the attempt, or at all, by the cousin.
Shortly after the attempted bombing, Mohammed was taken into custody in Brisbane, about to leave the country to visit his wife in India [the fact he hadn't bought a return trip (yet) is usually used to further damn him at this point]. He was placed incommunicado in a holding cell courtesy of Queensland Police, and his home raided. Every scrap of paper there was gathered up. Everything remotely resembling data storage (tapes, cds, computers - and no doubt phones, walkmans, mp3s of all who lived in the flat he shared with seven others (!)) was swept up to be 'analysed'. His workplace (a large hospital) was also plundered of potential 'evidence'.
Then Mohammed had to wait in custody under a continued detention order, obtained under our anti-democratic 'anti-terrorist' laws, while an eagre bunch of sergeant plods wracked their minds with possibilities revealed in the treasure trove of information they believed they'd seized in their raids.
Alas for sergeant plod, the greatest crime they could eventually put forth under the Crimes Act was recklessly providing material support to a terrorist (organisation). The act this was based on was giving the useless simcard to the cousin before leaving england for home, not knowing that cousin would allegedly be involved in failed bomb plot nearly a year later. For this, poor Mohammed faces upto 25 years maximum security imprisonment.
Under the anti-terror rubric, the presumption is against bail in 'terror' cases. No doubt sergeant plod believed poor Mohammed would safely spend about a year and a half in shackled solitary confinement (how we keep our suspected terrorists downunder) before a trial could be held under the National Security provisions for federal 'terror' trials. Perhaps they'd even find something a bit more salacious than disposing of a simcard by giving it away to a family member with which to dress up their injustice.
Surprise! Magistrate Jacqui Payne, taking special account of the facts that Mohammed didn't know what his cousin was allegedly upto, and the 'weakness' of the case generally, as constituting a 'special circumstance' that allowed her a discretion to grant bail, granted him bail!
But our lovely law abiding government had a nice little surprise up their sleeve to put the smile back on the gobsmacked prosecutor's face, and to take it off of Mohammed and his lawyers'. They have revoked his visa, leaving him in a Brisbane holding cell again while they work out whether he gets to test an immigration detention centre or a prison for his digs for the next few years.
More of Mohammed later...
Mohammed is a young indian male doctor in Australia accused of "recklessly" giving "material assistance" to (suspected) "terrorists". He apparently gave his cousin (also a doctor, but in England) a simcard for his phone before leaving that country for this. Simcards from England don't work here. His cousin worked in England. Mohammed worked here in Australia. A year later, that simcard is found in the wreckage of one of the vehicles used in the recent attempted series of car bombings in Britain. There's no indication that it was used in the attempt, or at all, by the cousin.
Shortly after the attempted bombing, Mohammed was taken into custody in Brisbane, about to leave the country to visit his wife in India [the fact he hadn't bought a return trip (yet) is usually used to further damn him at this point]. He was placed incommunicado in a holding cell courtesy of Queensland Police, and his home raided. Every scrap of paper there was gathered up. Everything remotely resembling data storage (tapes, cds, computers - and no doubt phones, walkmans, mp3s of all who lived in the flat he shared with seven others (!)) was swept up to be 'analysed'. His workplace (a large hospital) was also plundered of potential 'evidence'.
Then Mohammed had to wait in custody under a continued detention order, obtained under our anti-democratic 'anti-terrorist' laws, while an eagre bunch of sergeant plods wracked their minds with possibilities revealed in the treasure trove of information they believed they'd seized in their raids.
Alas for sergeant plod, the greatest crime they could eventually put forth under the Crimes Act was recklessly providing material support to a terrorist (organisation). The act this was based on was giving the useless simcard to the cousin before leaving england for home, not knowing that cousin would allegedly be involved in failed bomb plot nearly a year later. For this, poor Mohammed faces upto 25 years maximum security imprisonment.
Under the anti-terror rubric, the presumption is against bail in 'terror' cases. No doubt sergeant plod believed poor Mohammed would safely spend about a year and a half in shackled solitary confinement (how we keep our suspected terrorists downunder) before a trial could be held under the National Security provisions for federal 'terror' trials. Perhaps they'd even find something a bit more salacious than disposing of a simcard by giving it away to a family member with which to dress up their injustice.
Surprise! Magistrate Jacqui Payne, taking special account of the facts that Mohammed didn't know what his cousin was allegedly upto, and the 'weakness' of the case generally, as constituting a 'special circumstance' that allowed her a discretion to grant bail, granted him bail!
But our lovely law abiding government had a nice little surprise up their sleeve to put the smile back on the gobsmacked prosecutor's face, and to take it off of Mohammed and his lawyers'. They have revoked his visa, leaving him in a Brisbane holding cell again while they work out whether he gets to test an immigration detention centre or a prison for his digs for the next few years.
More of Mohammed later...
Into the Malestrom
I've been blogging for over three years but have, until now, avoided blogging on some areas of my life which are core to my being.
Art. Politics. Sport. Social Commentary.
It's basically been my instinct for self preservation which has caused me to steer clear of these things until now. You see,words that go into cyberspace never really leave you. They can come back at you in unknown ways, provide ammunition for future enemies you don't even yet know you'll have. I've long been aware of the use of new technologies to those small minds who would want to control ours. I've always been wary.
Recently, however, I've noticed the 'political' creeping into the other things I do. That's not really fair on my readers for those particular blogs. I know how much it bugs me to go and read someone about their lives and instead get a facefull of ideology (even if I agree with the thoughts - it's abusing a readership). Also, the unconscious 'shadow' will creep into all if not given its own expression.
So here, dear reader, it is. Or, more strictly speaking, here it will be.
And in case you're wondering why I've put 'defamatory', 'seditious' and 'obscene' into my page header - it's to remind me NOT to be these things on this blog!
[The 'Adelaide' in the title is to help the search engines, 'leftish freak' vaguely describes my politics]
Art. Politics. Sport. Social Commentary.
It's basically been my instinct for self preservation which has caused me to steer clear of these things until now. You see,words that go into cyberspace never really leave you. They can come back at you in unknown ways, provide ammunition for future enemies you don't even yet know you'll have. I've long been aware of the use of new technologies to those small minds who would want to control ours. I've always been wary.
Recently, however, I've noticed the 'political' creeping into the other things I do. That's not really fair on my readers for those particular blogs. I know how much it bugs me to go and read someone about their lives and instead get a facefull of ideology (even if I agree with the thoughts - it's abusing a readership). Also, the unconscious 'shadow' will creep into all if not given its own expression.
So here, dear reader, it is. Or, more strictly speaking, here it will be.
And in case you're wondering why I've put 'defamatory', 'seditious' and 'obscene' into my page header - it's to remind me NOT to be these things on this blog!
[The 'Adelaide' in the title is to help the search engines, 'leftish freak' vaguely describes my politics]
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