Mohamed Haneef returns to Australia for compensation claim

CLEARED terror suspect Mohamed Haneef will seek cash but no apology from the Australian government.

Mohamed Haneef with wife Firdous Arshiya and daughter Haniya Kulthm. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

CLEARED terror suspect Mohamed Haneef will seek cash but no apology from the Australian government.

Bargaining over a compensation claim that could cost taxpayers millions will get under way next week.

The Indian-trained doctor has returned to Australia for the first time since he was wrongly detained and charged with the offence of supporting terrorism, complete with Queensland police bodyguards, who monitored his emergence in public yesterday.

Flanked by his lawyer, wife Firdous and their livewire three-year-old daughter Haniya, Dr Haneef said his medical career and reputation continued to suffer from the baseless accusation that he had a hand in the 2007 terror attacks in Britain.

But he said it was too late for an apology from Julia Gillard, on behalf of the government, as the harm had been done.

Mediation of Dr Haneef's compensation claim will start in Brisbane on Monday under former corruption commissioner and judge Tony Fitzgerald QC.

Dr Haneef's lawyer, Rod Hodgson, would not put a figure on any settlement, except to say it would be significant.

"The compensation . . . will be significant and it will be commensurate with the effect upon his career, his reputation and his life in general," Mr Hodgson said.

The 31-year-old medico was training to be a specialist on the Gold Coast when he was arrested at Brisbane Airport on July 2, 2007, while checking in for a hastily arranged flight home.

Police believed he was involved in a bid to bomb Glasgow airport, but Dr Haneef's explanation that he was rushing home to be with his wife and newborn daughter, who was ill, was later backed by a commission of inquiry.

Australian Federal Police were criticised for holding him in custody for 12 days, during which they pressed on with the prosecution despite advice that Dr Haneef was innocent.

He is also pursuing legal action against then Howard government immigration minister Kevin Andrews, who cancelled his Australian visa.

Dr Haneef said compensation would allow him to move forward and possibly resume training to become a specialist physician. He left the door open to returning to Queensland and his old job at Gold Coast Hospital.

Queensland police confirmed last night that two plainclothes police were present at Dr Haneef's news conference to "monitor the safety and security of all parties in attendance".