Australians extend terror probe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6268184.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A judge has granted Australian authorities 48 more hours to hold an Indian doctor without charge over the failed car bombings in the UK.

Australian police chief Mick Keelty said this could be extended further if there were "reasonable grounds".

Police have, however, released a second man who was being questioned about his detained colleague.

A counter-terrorism expert from Britain is on his way to Australia to help interrogate Mohammed Haneef, 27.

Seven other people are being questioned in the UK about the attempted attacks in central London and Glasgow airport.

It is understood Mr Haneef had been in phone contact with those suspected of involvement in the London and Glasgow incidents, says the BBC's Gordon Correra.

Detectives want to know if he had any prior knowledge of the attempted attacks, he adds.

Mr Haneef's family told the media that the doctor was innocent, and had been trying to return to India to see his newborn daughter.

"He is a responsible citizen of the country and the Indian government should help us get him back," his sister Sumayya told the Associated Press.

"His aim has been to be a good doctor," she said.

One-way ticket

Mr Haneef was picked up at Brisbane airport after a tip-off from British police, officials said. He was reported to have been carrying a one-way ticket to India.

ARRESTS TIMELINE 30 June Two men arrested at Glasgow airport after burning car driven into doors of main terminal30 June A 26-year-old-man, Dr Mohammed Asha, and a 27-year-old woman arrested on the M6 near Sandbach, Cheshire1 July A 26-year-old man arrested near Liverpool's Lime Street station1 July A 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old man arrested in Paisley2 July A 27-year-old male doctor is detained in Australia, and a second doctor is questioned <a class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6260626.stm">Timeline: Failed bomb attacks</a>

The doctor - who trained in his native India - had been working as a registrar at the Gold Coast hospital in Queensland since September 2006, having been sponsored by the Queensland health department, officials said.

He moved there after answering an advert in a British medical journal while working at a hospital near Liverpool.

A major investigation has been under way in the UK since two cars containing petrol, gas cylinders and nails were discovered in central London in the early hours of Friday. They failed to explode.

One day later, a burning car loaded with gas cylinders was driven at the main terminal building at Glasgow's international airport. Two men were arrested at the scene and are now in custody.