John Howard’s once strong credentials on national security appear to have been seriously weakened by the dropping of terrorism charges against the young doctor, Mohamed Haneef, whom Australian authorities had falsely linked to failed attacks in the UK.

While Mr Howard sought to distance himself and his senior ministers from the Haneef fiasco, his Government cannot escape its strident support for the detaining of Dr Haneef despite warnings of his innocence.

On July 13 – eleven days after Dr Haneef’s arrest and as early doubts about the case against him began to surface – the Prime Minister said that he was happy with Dr Haneef’s detention and indicated his Government felt comfortable treating terrorism suspects more harshly than others.

We are living in different circumstances – terrorists don’t abide by the Marquess of Queensberry rules,” Mr Howard said then.

So eager was the Government’s desire to keep Dr Haneef, 27, behind bars that it thwarted the decision of a sceptical magistrate ten days ago to allow him back into the community. The Immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews, after consulting Mr Howard and other ministers, cancelled Dr Haneef’s work visa immediately upon hearing of the Magistrates decision. That decision had the effect of ensuring that Dr Haneef was prevented from leaving custody.

Aside from the fallout affecting Mr Howard and Mr Andrews, Australia’s Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has been left red-faced.

Ten days ago he castigated leading Australian lawyers who pointed out serious flaws in the continued arrest and detention of Dr Haneef, calling their statements “regrettable.”

Tonight, Mr Howard tried to shift responsibility for the bungle and minimise the backlash against the Government by saying responsibility for the affair lay squarely with the Australian Federal Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions. He called on the heads of both organisations to explain the process for the laying of charges against Dr Haneef and the reason they were dropped.

The leader of the Labor opposition, Kevin Rudd, has also been left looking flat-footed by yesterday’s events. He has steadfastly refused to criticise the continued detention of Dr Haneef, despite mounting evidence of flaws in the police case.

Queensland’s Labor Premier, Peter Beattie, was the only major political figure who rounded on authorities before the charges were dropped. Mr Beattie compared the Federal Police to the Keystone Cops – a description that earned him a rebuke from a now silenced Mr Rudd.

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