Dr Mohamed Haneef, the “Australian connection” in the recent terror scare in the UK, is to be charged with “recklessly supporting terrorism by supplying the SIM card to his second cousin, Sabeel Ahmed”, and therefore he had “supplied the alleged terrorists with a usable alternative identity.” He faces up to 15 years in prison for giving his mobile SIM card to his cousin.
Un-frickin-believable.
If this case had any real basis, the prosecution would have to demonstrate that he actively knew that his cousins would engage in a terrorist act, and that the SIM card could be a way for authorities to monitor and track his cousins. When clearly, they had no bloody idea that anything was going to happen, and the ‘alternative identity’ apparently provided by the SIM card had no role to play in the terrorist act.
If this man is prosecuted, I have major doubts about how serious the authorities are in pursuing real perpetrators as opposed to chasing down the easy ones to provide visible ‘victories’ against terrorism.
I haven’t been following this case that closely, but in addition to what you said, I’ve had my own concerns. I don’t like there being laws where people can be locked up without charge. That’s scary.
Also, I don’t see how this guy will get a fair trial – how will they find a jury without preconceived ideas about him?
The more I study law and take an interest in the law, the more I think I should go into law reform :)
Oh it gets better – see this post