[JURIST] The Australian Federal Court on Friday local time upheld a decision [text] to reinstate the work visa of Dr. Mohammad Haneef [JURIST news archive], who was detained by Australian authorities in July in connection with July's attempted UK car bomb terror attacks [JURIST report]. Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister Kevin Andrews revoked Haneef's work visa and placed him under "immigration detention" shortly after he was granted bail by a magistrate, and later said that he had revoked the instrument on "character test" grounds under the Migration Act [text]. Haneef's visa was reinstated [ruling; JURIST report] in full by the court in August, but Andrews maintained that his decision to cancel it was in the "national interest" and that the court's ruling was a misinterpretation of the Act. In September, Andrews filed an appeal [case summary] contesting the decision in the Federal Court in Brisbane.

Haneef, who has not been implicated by UK authorities in the attacks, was detained as a terror suspect for 25 days for allegedly providing reckless material support to the suspected terrorists. The terror charge against him was dropped [JURIST reports] after the Australian director of public prosecutions reviewed the case and concluded that there was insufficient evidence [press release]. Haneef has since been allowed to return to India, but the Australian Federal Police said in August that he is still considered a suspect [JURIST report]. He has said that he wants to return to work as a doctor at the Gold Coast Hospital in Queensland, Australia. Australia's ABC News has more.