Documents released overnight about the Mohamed Haneef terror case have revealed that federal police suspicions were aroused by a chatroom conversation in which a friend asked the doctor "if he had killed anyone yet?"
In July last year the AFP cited chatroom conversations as potential evidence against Dr Haneef, but the Indian national’s lawyers now say the remark was simply a joke, relating to his pending medical exams.
The documents, prepared just days before Dr Haneef was charged with supporting terrorists, also conceded that police had “insufficient evidence” to charge him.
Dr Haneef, who worked at the Gold Coast Hospital, was arrested in Brisbane on 2 July last year over suspected links to failed terror attacks in Britain.
The case became a hot political issue when then Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revoked Dr Haneef's visa just hours after a magistrate granted him bail.
The case later collapsed for lack of evidence.
Yesterday, Mr Andrews gave his evidence behind closed doors and later emerged unrepentant.
"I make no apology for having made a decision in the national interest for the benefit of the people of Australia," he said.
Mr Andrews is expected to be the last high-profile person to appear before the inquiry currently underway into the case, which has also heard from former attorney-general Philip Ruddock and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty.
