Haneef's barrister admits to leaking restricted document

MELBOURNE: A barrister for Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef, charged with providing 'reckless' support to a terrorist group in connection with the failed UK terror plot, has admitted to leaking to media a transcript of his client's first police interview.

In a statement, Stephen Keim said he had released to 'The Australian' newspaper the transcript of the police interview of Haneef following the Indian doctor's arrest at Brisbane Airport on July 2.

Denying any wrongdoing in releasing the restricted document, he said he was only responding to 'an aggressive campaign of selective leaking' by authorities, 'Skynews' channel reported on Wednesday.

"These leaks could only have been motivated by a desire by those perpetrating them to suggest to the Australian public that the case against Dr Haneef was stronger than the Australian Federal Police, through their counsel, the Commonwealth DPP (Director of Public Prosecution), had been able to put before the court in Haneef's bail application," he said.

Keim said he released the transcript because it provided in full the information the Australian Federal Police had concerning Haneef at the time of the arrest and the answers the Indian national gave during the interview.

Although access to such transcripts is normally restricted to police, prosecutors and defence lawyers until they are aired in court, Keim said he had no legal obligation to keep the document a secret.