Anti-terrorism is one of those things that absolutely must be an interception prior to any final proof. Waiting for the bomb to go off and then acting is poor response to terrorist actions. Anti-terrorism is not civil policing. It's active interdiction based on the best information of the moment. The lefties whinging about civil liberties and condemning government will also be first in line to condemn the government when a terrorist is successful in killing some persons or destroying infrastructure. For them, hiding behind the Haneef case is just a way to keep anyone from seeing the smile on their faces as they hope the government falls. Unfortunately, while blaming Howard and government for terrorism their choice of government will have to face the same quandary. To act or not to act. And if one is to act, can one act for the greater good before the bombs ignite. The whingers need not make the hard decisions. Theirs is to finger point and cast aspersions, to detract from their own society in the name of socialist idealism cloaked in democratic values.

Punter57 , i would ask , exactly what protection do any of us have under these new laws . only 2 people have had the laws applied to them , jihad jack or jack thomas , whatever he wants to call himself , was subjected to control orders because the government couldnt make terror charges stick due to evidence being used that was gained by coersion . and now an doctor being tried on the flimsiest evidence , that he gave an SIM card , which expired before the act of terror it is meant to be linked to . Now if he had of sent them thousands of dollars to fund their campaign , or said "you are doing a really good job " to them about their act , you might have some basis to charge him , but it seems he is being charged and found to be of poor character because he is related to them . by that rule of character , most polititians are of questionable character , as most have some black sheep amongst their relatives . so im sorry but if you want to say that these laws havent hurt anyone personally on these forums , you might be right. but the whole point is they are so open ended , if you were a unionist calling for a strike , you might be considered to be doing something to terrorise your boss and locked up because of that , i dont know. its too easy to be abused as we have now seen .

I would just like to point out that the AFP and the DPP have just dropped the charges against Dr Haneef.

This hasn't been about wanting Howard and Co to fail, it's been about ensuring that our nation does not become that which we are trying to fight.

Charges dropped: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/27/1990249.htm

I imagine he'll still be deported, assuming the court upholds the decision when it comes back on 8th August - the government doesn't want him hanging around in the country giving interviews and making them and the AFP look as bad as they are.

Mind you, I don't think the guy will mind that much. He probably wants to go home to his wife and never come back here again.

I'm ashamed of my country and government.

At a press conference this afternoon, the Commonwealth DPP Damian Bugg QC says the charges have been dropped because a mistake was made in the case.

"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."

We all know the mistake occurred becuase the keystone cops stuffed up. Keelty must resign and Andrews and Ruddock should be sacked.

He even said the prosecutor simply made up the information he used in the magistrates court about the SIM card. What on earth they ever arrested him for is beyond me. The cops in London let 3 of the people go without charge, one will die, two others are charged with conspiracy to make explosives and the cousin who got the SIM card has been charged with withholding evidence but has not been told what he withheld.

The met are no more competent than our mob and it is beyond ridiculous that we think we have the right to behave like cowardly weenies while we have bombed and obliterated an entire country based on no provocation whatsoever, murdered nearly 1 million people, made 4.5 million others homeless and stolen billions from them just to please that clown Dubya.