[JURIST] The Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal [official website] has denied former Australian Guantanamo detainee Mamdouh Habib [BBC profile] a request to regain his passport, Habib's lawyer said Friday, citing his likelihood "to engage in conduct that might prejudice the security of Australia or of a foreign country" if Habib were allowed to travel outside Australia. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer canceled Habib's Australian passport in 2005 when Habib was released from Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] without charge and returned to Australia. Habib appealed that decision, which was based on an Australian secret service assessment declaring Habib likely to threaten security if he left the country. Habib's lawyer said they will appeal the Tribunal's decision to the Federal Court.

Habib was detained in 2001 in Pakistan and was held in Egypt and Afghanistan before being sent to Guantanamo Bay for three years, where the US accused him of aiding terrorist militants. The US released him without charge [JURIST report] in 2005. Habib and his lawyers have repeatedly said that he was tortured while in US custody [JURIST reports]. AP has more. The Australian has local coverage.