September 1, 2007...10:12 am
New Australian law: adverse security assessments made because of persons associated-with, even person of interest unaware of implications, at the time
The idea that someone is innocent until proven guilty and has the right to know what they are accused-of, underpins our justice system, but it seems in cases of alleged threats to national security concerning foreign nationals, this basic principle does not apply, according to Anne Gooley writing in The Age (25/8/2007, p. 9).
Guilt by association: Legal counsel for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) have said in court that the adverse security assessments of Parkin, Faisal and Sagar may have been made because of who they associated with, even if they were not aware of the implications of these associations at the time, wrote Gooley .
Not a threat after all: “Thankfully, both Sagar and Faisal have been released from detention on Nauru,” Gooley wrote. “Sagar has now been resettled in a Scandi navian country. After arriving in Australia for medical treatment, five years after his first refugee application, Faisal was reassessed by ASIO and this time it decided he was not a threat to our national security.”
Case continuing: “Along with Parkin, their case to discover why they were considered threats to Aus tralia by ASIO in the first place continues. Like Haneef, Faisal, Sagar and Parkin are all alleging they have done nothing that would warrant their being subjected to the draconian consequences of such assess ments.”
Reference: Anne Gooley is a principal with Maurice Blackburn Cashman lawyers
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