Haneef is the new Tampa.  Howard will play this for all its worth in the runup to the federal election because Howard has established in the past that he is quite prepared to sacrifice someone’s dignity—not to mention their reputation and quite possibly their mental health—for votes.

The AFP case against Haneef is so weak its ridiculous—but the Libs can’t pass up an opportunity like this, can they?

If Howard had wanted to use the new anti-terror laws, this whole episode could have taken place with no publicity, no lawyer, no right or opportunity for Haneef or anyone else to comment, and certainly no chance of bail.  None of us need even have known of Haneef’s name, let alone his fate.

Because of his commitment to justice, fairness, transparency in government, the non-politicisation of police matters, separation of the judicial arm from the executive, and all those things for which Australian democracy stands, he chose the path which afforded maximum publicity.

At least I think that’s why he did it this way.  I might be wrong.  After all there is an election approaching.  No… he wouldn’t think that way.  Would he?  And the lies about the SIM card and about the plan to blow up the Surfers tower block were coincidental.  Weren’t they?