The second transcript of the interview which Dr Haneef Mohammad, released recently by the Australian government after being detained in connection with the failed terror plot in the United Kingon, had with the Australian police was made public by his lawyer this week.
Haneef's lawyer Peter Russo was present at the interview with Federal Agent Neil Thomson and Detective Sergeant Adam Simms. The interview was conducted at the Queensland headquarters of the Australian federal police in Brisbane.
The second interview lasted almost two days and runs into 278 pages. The interview commenced on July 13 at 4.15 pm and ended on July 14.
During the interview Haneef talks about his relationship with his cousins Kafeel and Sabeel, allegedly involved in the terror plot in the UK. He also explains about the chat he had with his brother Suhaib in Bangalore before leaving Australia for India.
Exclusive: First transcript of Haneef's interrogation in Australia
Simms: You do have the opportunity to consult your lawyer.
Haneef: Yes, I do.
Simms: Do you have any complaints about the way in which you have been treated by the police?
Haneef: No.
During the interview Haneef says that he feels a bit nervous. "I am a bit of a nervous personality."
Simms: I just want you to remain calm. We are here to find out the truth, so if we of we are all here to tell the truth and answer in that way well there should not be anything to worry about ok.
Simms: Now, as you are no doubt aware, the reason why you are speaking to us is because of some incidents that occurred in the United Kingdom and your relationship to those incidents. Can I just ask you generally, when did you first learn of now do you what incidents I am talking about?
Haneef: Yeah, you just said to me that there have been some
some blasts or something in the UK the other day.
Simms: Ok. When did you first learn about the attempted terrorist attacks in London and in Glasgow?
Haneef: When I opened my email think it was a popup, a Yahoo popup, the first time I read the news actually; I'm not a normally a news reader as such.
Simms: Ok so you, you were in Yahoo. Do you remember what day this was?
Haneef: This was on I think on 2nd and probably I had seen some news earlier two days before, two or three days before, I don't remember the exact day.
Simms: Ok, do you remember when first learnt of it though, of what occurred?
Haneef: Probably no, I don't remember exactly the time of the day but it was on the internet when I was browsing, one was this Yahoo kind of thing which came up and which I read that thing.
Simms: Do you remember what, what, what it was about exactly, what?
Haneef: It as the news about the explosions and things happened.
Simms: Do you know where these explosions/explosion was there, one or two. Sorry, what did you read exactly?
Haneef: I didn't read much about the thing, I just had a look at that, clicked on that and just had a look at what was going on and then I normally not a good news reader as such to be honest.
Simms: So you don't normally look at the news.
Haneef: No, sometimes just, when I'm browsing I get to it the news. And I haven't fully read about anything. But I did click on that.
Simms: Sure, what your response to that when you saw the attacks, what we'll call it attacks in the UK?
Haneef: I don't know.
Simms: Do you know that there was there were two attacks on the 29th June in London?
Haneef: I didn't hear about that.
Simms: What did you think when you read about that. Did anything come to your mind?
Haneef: I mean that would be I don't know what, I don't have any comments on that. I nothing to my mind as such, I mean I normally don't look for news or hot news or anything as such.
On Kafeel and Sabeel
Simms: Ok. Now I think I might have intimated to you last time we certainly discussed that there was a possible involvement of your two cousins in those incidents namely, Kafeel Ahmed and Sabeel Ahmed.
Haneef: Hmmm.
Simms: Did you say at any time think that they were involved when you read about those incidents on the news that they were involved?
Haneef: No, I didn't really know about the thing. Even when Sabeel's mum called me, I was thinking that there was some fault with my that, my sim card, the thing there was some fault with that. I didn't really, even didn't even think that could have involved in anything like that.
Simms: Now, now you said to me that you looked on the internet and it popped up as a news thing, on the, was it the 2nd of July to best of your recollection?
Haneef: I think so, yeah.
Simms: Kafeel. Is (Was) he a strict Muslim?
Haneef: He prays, just regular prayers and things but apart from that I haven't observed him.
Simms: What are (were) his opinions about other religions?
Haneef: I haven't spoken to him about all that kind of stuff.
Simms: Do you know if Kafeel ever went to Saudi?
Haneef: Oh, there is, I mean he was brought up in Saudi.
Simms: What sort of Islam is taught in Saudi to your knowledge?
Haneef: I don't know, I haven't really; I don't know how it is. As it, I mean for, as long as just, I don't know how what they preach in Saudi. There isn't an Islam for Saudi and Islam for England and there isn't Islam for any country. It is for whole mankind actually.
Simms: I appreciate that but you have to agree that some forms of teaching differ in others.
Haneef: Yeah.
July 14 2007, 12. 20 am. It breaks off at 1.18 am and then re-commences at 1.32 am.
Simms: Before leaving for India was there any conversation with your brother?
Haneef: Yeah probably, chatting on the net.
Simms: And what did that consist of?
Haneef: I mean at that time he said that, he mentioned to me about this as well, against that Sabeel had been arrested. And then he happened to read the news in the evening daily. He said, I mean there is a news article coming up, that a few people had been arrested in the UK and there was some terrorist attack in UK.
At this point of time Simms reads out the conversation Haneef had with his brother.
Suhaib: Greetings, everything is alright. What are they saying? What is up? You don't have any problem over there, no?
Haneef: No, by God's grace, I am alright.
Suhaib: Tell me quickly when are you leaving? I called your mobile why did you not answer.
Haneef: Wait for two minutes.
Suhaib: Whatever don't get worried. What are they saying? Are you free?
Haneef when questioned about this by Simms, says that when Suhaib said free, he meant, free to talk.
Suhaib: What are they saying brother? I am getting worried.
Haneef: Read my prayers and be calm.
Suhaib: Sure. What did you ask them and what did they say?
Haneef: What to do, I don't know.
Suhaib. They have made five arrests, one of whom is Sabeel. Watch BBC.
Haneef: By the grace of God, I'll come there.
Suhaib: Did you take leave from the hospital? Tell them you are going because you have a baby daughter and give details before coming. Do not tell them anything else.
Back to the interview:
Simms: Why was your brother so worried?
Haneef: He was worried because of the sim card issue
Simms: Why would he give you a reason? Why would you say to him to say the baby was being born in emergency C section as if you are using that as an excuse that he needs to know about?
Haneef: He was asking me whether you have told them anything about this. I mean, whether you really know what I was doing at this time.
Simms: Does Suhaib know anything about this?
Haneef: No, he doesn't.
