Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef came close to freedom today nearly four weeks after his arrest over the failed UK car bombings as the Australian police dropped terror charges against him - a case which caused embarrassment to the Howard government.
Prosecutors withdrew the case against the 27-year-old Haneef, arrested on July 2 and later charged with "recklessly" supporting a terrorist group, at a Brisbane Magistrates' court hearing following a review.
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution Damian Bugg said he withdrew the charges because he was satisfied "there was no reasonable prospect of conviction."
"In the magistrate's court in Brisbane, proceedings against Dr Haneef were discontinued on my motion," Bugg told a joint press conference with Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty in Canberra.
"On my view of this matter, a mistake has been made, and I will examine that because to me the primary decision to make was to determine whether or not this prosecution was on sound footing or not, I've made that determination," he said. "I'll now take further steps to inquire as to how that mistake occurred."
Haneef, a Gold Coast hospital Registrar, was charged with supporting a terrorist group because he gave his mobile phone SIM card to a second cousin Sabeel Ahmed, an Indian doctor also held in Britain over last month's failed UK terror plot, in July last year.
A Brisbane court had ordered Haneef's release on bail last week but Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews kept him in prison by cancelling his visa on character grounds based on information provided by federal police. (Reporting by Natasha Chaku from Melbourne)
Truth has come out, says Haneef's wife
"I am happy that the truth has come out. He (Haneef) has been proved innocent," Firdous told reporters at her residence here.
Asked whether she would oppose Haneef's deportation, she replied in the affirmative. "I do not want him to be deported".
She said she expected her husband to be back home in two or three days.