Australia PM rejects independent judicial probe in Haneef terror case News
Australia PM rejects independent judicial probe in Haneef terror case

[JURIST] Australian Prime Minister John Howard [official profile] Friday rejected calls for an independent judicial inquiry into the Australian government's handling of the terror case against Dr. Mohammad Haneef [JURIST news archive], calling it a political "stunt" [transcript] by opposition Labour Party leader Kevin Rupp [official profile]. During an interview with Sky News, Howard also welcomed the High Court of Australia's Thursday ruling upholding the constitutionality of control orders [JURIST report] against a terror suspect, calling it a "great litmus test" that demonstrated that a controversial anti-terror law [ANS backgrounder] was "soundly based."

Howard has refused to apologize [JURIST report] for the Australian government's handling of Haneef's case, saying that Haneef was not "victimized" despite being detained as a terrorist suspect for 25 days. On Wednesday, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty indicated that the Australian Federal Police was continuing with an investigation into Haneef [JURIST report] and may submit a new brief of evidence against Haneef to prosecutors. Haneef has not been implicated by UK authorities in June's attempted UK car bomb attacks [JURIST report], and was allowed to travel to India after prosecutors dropped the terror charge [JURIST report] against Haneef due to insufficient evidence. PTI has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.