People, please don't ridicule Leigh for his national purity fetish and his unshakeable faith in the benevolence of the nation-state.

He didn't get the memo about the twentieth century.

Each time I write something about the Haneef case, the situation changes. Still, it is nearly midnight, the beardless youth has gone to bed, and we might have a sensible discussion.

Does it help Australia's defences against terrorism that the procedures of the federal police and/or the DPP have been so poor? No, it does not. Is it helpful that they refuse to accept that there has been any incomeptence? No.

Does it help that Kevin Andrews accepted the police case, apparently without checking it against the evidence? No. Does his stubborness in sticking to his first decision in spite of the evidence help in the struggle to protect Australia against terrorism? No.

Does fostering an attitude that it does not matter who gets hurt, as long as the Government wins, help to protect us against terrorism? Surely not. In this case, Mick Keelty is to take the blame (again), and the DPP (unusually). They have, indeed, someting to answer for. But so do Andrews, and Howard, and Burke, and Rudd.

Is the law that permits the Immigration minister to refuse or take away a visa without due process (try reading sections 501, 501A, 502 ands 503 of the Immigration Act) help to protect Australia against terrorists? No. There are other sections which are capable of doing it; and the denial of due process only means that the Minister is protected from the consequences of his mistakes. Does keeping the Minister protected from criticism and correction help to protect Australia? No.

Leigh, you obviously do not have a clue what civil liberties organisations do. They all have web sites. Read, find out and be humbled.

What kind of government do we have that goes around making human mistakes when forced by expediency to have all the answers before the end result explodes and innocents are cut down walking to school, or to pick up the groceries, or driving the streets, or like those in the twin towers, simply going about their days work. Any government that errs on the side of the many innocent over the suspected terrorist should hang their collective heads in shame. The suspects rights should be held above all else. We can worry about the innocent deaths after the bomb goes off. We can always get more people through immigration but the poor terrorist must be protected. After all we could be next because, well, look what Hitler did. Ya, exactly. And Howard is into sweeping across Europe and gassing Jews in the name of racial purity. It's the only logical extension behind arresting Haneef. Howard won't stop until he has decimated human rights and all Australia is in his gulag. The Uber Howard is on the march flee to your bunkers.

Davsab,

Why on earth would I reply to Frankgol's post. He himself said that his post was a waste of time. I don't know how long you have been involved with OLO, but I told Frank a long time ago that I couldn't be bothered with his nonsense. I only looked at his post this time because you brought it to my attention.

Here's something else for the left wing drongos to disagree with:

The charges against Haneef have been dropped. Many people will be pleased. Many of the same people are already saying that he should not be deported (even though he was heading off without a return ticket, and may not have wanted to stay here anyway).

Of course, Haneef may have been found not guilty. But equally, he may have been found guilty.

Thanks to screeching commentators, both professional and amateur, who do their best to find Australia and it’s Government “guilty” of all sorts of imaginary offences against humanity, when they are merely going about their legal business, we will never know.

When the next terror suspect comes along, Government and its agencies might very well hesitate to act because they fear the criticism of the Australian Fifth Column which has worked very, very hard to discredit both the elected Government and its agencies in the Haneef case.

Australia has just become an easier mark for terrorism

Mercurius, what good is an old memo from the last century. This is the twenty-first century. Do try to keep up. Nazism has been defeated, socialism has imploded, we've been to the moon and back, sent robots to mars, eradicated a couple of devastating diseases and never before
in the annals of human history has so much wealth been held by so many people. Our only real problem is with the self-loathers, and since they are dependent on us for their very existence, we shall be hearing from them continuously as they remind us of what a great failure our society is.
We should all, the world, be proud of the advances of the past 100 years, and not be as some, constantly pricking holes in the joy of progress in the name of that grand socialist utopia that never was. Nobody likes a buzz killer. Terrorist are buzz killers. Destroyers not
contributors. Not brave. Not heroic. They're ugly little people. Wasteful of positive opportunity.
Given time we resolve and evolve. Unfortunately we are stuck with those who demand from society rather than contribute. They have nothing for their society but insolent mockery. Scab pickers. They are forever talking of rights but never a word about privilege. For them rights are something owed, while privilege is something they take as a right hoping no one ever questions the difference. Paying the price is for someone else to shoulder. Something earned by the strength of character, honour and fortitude, and sacrifice of a past generation or to be payed for by some following generation. Theirs is the free ride that comes from expectation found in the thinking and labour of others. Mind your step. The door is ajar.