Police chief says AFP not to blame for blowing the whistle on Hakeem al-Araibi

Andrew Colvin seeks to clear the AFP for alerting Thailand to footballer Hakeem al-Araibi’s illegitimate Interpol red notice.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Hakeem al-Araibi, at a friendly football match at Parliament House to welcome the refugee footballer home. Picture: Kym Smith

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin has sought to clear the AFP’s name for alerting Thailand to footballer Hakeem al-Araibi’s illegitimate Interpol red notice.

Commenting for the first time on the AFP’s role in Mr Araibi’s arrest and detention for more than two months in Bangkok, Mr Colvin said the AFP was not told he was a refugee.

The AFP was acting on behalf of Interpol and did not “have access to the databases of visa holders, so we rely on others”, he told The Weekend Australian.

The AFP is known to have been stung by public criticism of its role, believing it has been unfairly blamed for the debacle.

Mr Colvin said responsibility for informing the AFP that a person wanted in red notice cases was a refugee was “within the Home Affairs Department” but he did not want to “apportion blame”.

His comments point to a communication failure in the mega department, established in 2017 to bring together federal law enforcement, criminal justice, national and transport security, emergency management, immigration and border-related functions.

It is understood Australian Border Force provides the AFP with visa information, and did not in Mr Araibi’s case until it was too late. An internal review is looking at why.

The 25-year-old was arrested on arrival at Bangkok airport on November 27 after travelling from Melbourne for his honeymoon.

Interpol had issued a red notice requesting his arrest for Bahrain, despite its own policies banning red notices for refugees when sought by the country they fled.

Mr Araibi, who was tortured in Bahrain for taking part in pro-democracy rallies, was granted asylum in Australia and has permanent residency.

He was sentenced in absentia to 10 years’ prison in Bahrain for vandalising a police station, a claim he denies and says is politically motivated.

The AFP’s “first knowledge” of Mr Araibi was when he presented at the border to leave the country, Mr Colvin said.

“There’s been a lot said about the Australian Federal Police over the last two months and our role with Interpol,” he said.

“The AFP were not aware that he was in Australia. We were not aware at the time of his presentation at the border leaving to Thailand that he was the subject of a protection visa.

“As soon as we became aware we notified Interpol and the red notice was immediately rescinded. It’s important that we’re dealing with the facts here.”

Mr Colvin said the AFP, working in Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Canberra, had “an obligation” to notify other countries of the movements of a person who was the subject of a red notice.

“Border Force notified us that someone had presented at the barrier that was subject to a red notice,” he said, speaking after an event at Queensland Police headquarters in Brisbane. “Beyond that, we weren’t aware that he was subject to a protection visa.

“The Home Affairs Department are doing an end-to-end review to look at where the lessons can be learnt to make sure this doesn’t happen to anybody else.”

Interpol, which facilitates global police co-operation, has 194 member countries, including Australia, Bahrain and Thailand.