Haneef's family moved by PM's reaction

The family of Mohammed Haneef, a suspect in the foiled UK terror plot, said on Friday they were touched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's concern over the agony the mothers of the detained persons were undergoing.

"We appreciate the prime minister's reaction to our pain. It only shows how sensitive he is to the concerns of the people," Haneef's father-in-law Ashwaq Ahmed told PTI.

"It is a reflection of a sensitive individual speaking," he said, while reacting to the prime minister's emotional statement that he had not been able to sleep after seeing the pain of the mothers of the detained persons.

Dr Singh had said on Thursday he was perturbed by the trauma expressed by Haneef's family and has virtually been sleepless after seeing his mother airing her pain.

He said the family also appreciated and supported the prime minister's statement about avoiding labelling any nationalities as terrorists.

"We fully appreciate and support his statement on the issue," Ashwaq said.

Maintaining that his son-in-law is innocent, he said that he wanted to appeal to the prime minister through the media to ensure the safe return of Haneef.

"He is innocent and now we are convinced that the truth alone can help us," he said.

Speaking about Sabeel's family to whom the family is related, he said that Sabeel's family too was undergoing tremendous mental pressure - "However, we have not been able to speak to them for the last two days."