Firdous Ashriya, wife of Dr Mohammed Haneef who was charged with aiding terror organisations in the failed UK terror plot, on Monday hit out at the Australian government, accusing it of 'harassing' her husband and 'somehow trying to detain him.'
Reacting to Australian authorities invoking immigration laws to detain Haneef, shortly after a court granted him bail in connection with the failed UK terror plot, Firdous termed the government's move as 'shocking' and 'unfair.'
"Whatever the Australian government has done is completely unfair. I think they are harassing my husband by doing this," Firdous said.
"My husband is innocent and everyone knows that... the entire world knows that he is innocent," she said.
If the Australian government had to cancel his visa, why did not they do it when he was charged on Friday, she asked.
"Somehow, they want to detain my husband, she claimed.
She appealed to the external affairs ministry to look into the matter and 'somehow get her husband back.'
Speaking on the future course of action, Firdous said: "I am sending my cousin brother there (Australia). He is quite knowledgeable."
Refusing to name the cousin who will be leaving for Australia, she said, "He will be leaving as soon as he gets visa."
To a query whether she had been able to contact their lawyer, she said that she hadn't been able to do so and was in the process of trying to get in touch with him.
Asked whether she had been able to speak to her husband Haneef, she said, "I haven't spoken to him."
"I only request the External Affairs Ministry to see to the matter and somehow get my husband back," she added.
To a question whether she was inclined to believe that there was any political motive in the detention, she said, "Looks like it (it appears so)."