Haneef lawyers want charge amended

MELBOURNE: Lawyers for Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef on Wednesday said the wording of the charge against their client should be changed to address "technical
inaccuracies".
 
Haneef has been charged with recklessly providing support to a terrorist organisation.
 
His lawyer Peter Russo said that information has come to light suggesting the wording of the charge is deficient.  Russo criticised prosecutors for wanting to wait until Haneef's next court appearance on August 31 to amend the legal wording of the charge.
 
"The charge as it reads isn't correct and from my correspondence with (prosecutors) they realise that, so therefore they were going to fix it up on August 31," Russo
said. "That's basically not good. I want it fixed now. (The charge) basically remains the same but it's just deficient in the way it's been drafted."
 
Russo and Haneef's relative Imran Siddiqui will be in Canberra on Wednesday to meet with the Indian High Commissioner.  "I think it's important that I come and tell them
what's been going on," Russo said adding the meeting will allow both parties to share the information.
 
The lawyer also hoped that the meeting will result in more support for Haneef's family.
       
His lawyers also said that Haneef could sue the Australian government for a million dollars, for wrongful arrest and imprisonment, if he's cleared of recklessly supporting terrorism.