THE federal government is invoking national security provisions to block cleared terrorism suspect Mohamed Haneef from seeing a document detailing ASIO's secret dealings with Australian migration authorities.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is fighting a decision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which last year granted Dr Haneef access to a slew of documents relating to his arrest and detention.
Dr Haneef was working in a Gold Coast hospital in July 2007 when he was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the Glasgow airport bombings.
The Indian doctor was later charged with giving support to a terrorist organisation, but the charge was dropped.
Since then, lawyers for Dr Haneef have launched a Freedom of Information blitz, which The Australian understands may be eventually used to seek compensation from the federal government.
Now the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is protesting against the release of parts of two documents, which they say could damage national security and violate the confidence of a foreign government.
One is a high-level diplomatic cable from Australia's high commission in New Delhi, detailing a meeting with Indian government officials at the height of the Haneef saga.
The second is a secret document describing interactions between the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Australian migration authorities.
The matter is now before the Federal Court in Brisbane, where barrister James Renwick yesterday tendered a secret affidavit by a senior ASIO officer explaining why the second document cannot be released.
Dr Renwick said the document was marked "secret", which meant it would "cause great damage to national security".
The diplomatic cable should also not be released in its entirety, Dr Renwick argued, because it described a confidential discussion between Australian and Indian officials about the Haneef matter.
The cable was sent on July 17, 2007 -- the day after Dr Haneef's visa was cancelled by the Australian government.
Dr Haneef's barrister, Stephen Keim SC, argued that the contentious parts of both documents should be released to his client.
Judge John Dowsett reserved his decision in the matter.
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