"Sometimes when I listen to the critics I wonder whether people want a bomb to go off in Sydney before they'll actually do something," he said.What a stupid thing for a man in his position to say. But what would you expect from a man who seems to think that he is the victim here:
"I'm in a position where I've got one hand tied behind my back.Let's just hypothesize for a minute about this "ongoing inquiry" and what sort of information might be so Top Secret that Kevin Bloody Andrew's cannot even hint at it.
"Ideally I would like to release information, but I'm being told by the Federal Police, please don't jeopardise the ongoing inquiry.
"One of the difficulties in this regard - and it's been a difficulty all along - is that there is an ongoing investigation both in Australia and in the UK.
"The Commissioner of the Federal Police, Mr Keelty, has said to me that this protected material, if released, could jeopardise that investigation.
"I think I have a responsibility not to jeopardise an investigation in this matter."
It sounds like it is something that ties the Haneef case in with another terrorism-related investigation. And obviously Andrews doesn't have enough available evidence to charge either Haneef OR any other parties.
Now, given that Andrews thinks Haneef's decision to leave Australia at the first opportunity was suspicious, one really has to wonder what sort of fragile evidence is propping up this other investigation. Maybe Haneef bought a kebab from a bloke whose third cousin twice removed used to clean house for Osama Bin Laden's butcher's gardener?
I am not knocking real police work and the need for real investigations to be protected from politicisation and/or media sensationalism. But Rudd, Howard and Andrews all politicised this case before the facts were known. And this is all the more reason why Andrews should resign - when a man in his position has lost credibility, the public has a right to be sceptical.
It is the Howard government which has relentlessly drummed up the threat of terrorism, and implemented War Criminal policies which most certainly do make this a more dangerous country for ordinary citizens. Surely they of all people have an obligation to ensure that the Australian public has full confidence in those charged with leading this self-declared "war" on terror? If not, surely the whole thing is just a terrible, criminal hoax.
UPDATE: More here.
