An Indian doctor being held in Australia in connection with failed terror attacks in the UK could be freed within 24 hours after Queensland police dropped a request to extend his 11-day detention without charge.

Investigators resumed their interrogation of the doctor, Muhammad Haneef, today and can question him for a total of 12 hours - although the clock runs only when he is being actively interviewed.

Dr Haneef’s lawyer, Stephen Keim, said he expected the questioning to be complete in around 24 hours.

Dr Haneef, 27, was detained at Brisbane airport last Tuesday as he checked in to board a flight to Bangalore. He has been working in a hospital on Queensland's Gold Coast since arriving in Australian from Britain last year.

He is a cousin of Kafeel and Sabeel Ahmed, two of the men being held in the UK over failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow and is thought to have lived with them for a year in Liverpoool.

Philip Ruddock, the Australian Attorney-General, told Sky News that police were “satisfied that they have sufficient information about which they can pursue questioning,” and that authorities could seek to detain Dr Haneef again if new information is uncovered during the interrogation.

Dr Haneef was reportedly detained after UK police found his mobile phone SIM card in the possession of one of the UK suspects.

But despite a massive investigation into vast amounts of computer data, phone records and other material seized as evidence, Australian newspapers reported that police had found no direct evidence linking him to any plot.

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