NPR: Australian Police Make a Bungle in Terrorism Case

Australian Police Make a Bungle in Terrorism Case

Australia's federal police force has had more than a bit of egg on its face over the past few days. Seems it dropped the ball on what was supposed to be a key piece of evidence against Mohamed Haneef, the Indian doctor charged in Australia with "recklessly" supporting the attempted terrorist bombings in London and Glasgow.

Haneef is accused of giving his cousins his cell phone's SIM card when he moved from Britain to Australia. The government prosecutor, based on information from the police, reported in court hearings that the SIM card was found in the Jeep that his cousin, Kafeel Ahmed, allegedly drove into the Glasgow airport terminal.

Whoops. Wrong. Turns out that the SIM card wasn't anywhere near Glasgow, Australian media reported. In fact, it was back in Liverpool with another cousin, Sabeel Ahmed, who also has been charged in the case. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a "source close to the British investigation" said Scotland Yard had nothing to do with the screw-up -- it was all the Australian police.

Haneef's lawyers slammed the police over the weekend, saying that they were leaking damaging allegations to the media about their client because the case is weak. The government revoked Haneef's visa to keep him in custody even after a court granted him bail.

2:09 PM ET | 07-25-2007 | permalink

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