Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock on Thursday said a review into the case of Mohammed Haneef will not undermine the government's handling of the terrorism charges as the Indian doctor's lawyer welcomed the move, saying it would help end public speculation about the case.
Haneef is charged with recklessly supporting a terrorist organisation and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions Damian Bugg is personally reviewing the case.
Ruddock said the review is simply an example of Australia's legal system at work.
"The fact is Damian Bugg is an independent statutory officer. He makes those decisions and if people are saying they support him carrying out his function, if that's what they're saying, then they're supporting the government," Ruddock added.
Bugg has a responsibility to ensure that he is satisfied with the handling of the case, the attorney general was quoted as saying in the media.
"He can't do everything himself. He has to work with his staff, but he also has administrative responsibility for the totality of the organisation," he said.
"He has to establish the appropriate guidelines, he has to be satisfied that all those who work with him are dealing with the issues for which they have responsibility," he further said.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie welcomed the DPP's decision to review the material in the case and said he will now back off his public commentary.
"I only ever wanted some action on this and we've got that action. I want to congratulate (Bugg) on that and I'm pleased that he's made that decision," Beattie said.
Beattie will be briefed on the Haneef case by the Australian Federal Police on Thursday.
Haneef's lawyer Peter Russo said it was good someone was looking into the material.
"It's good someone is looking at it and it's good that it's the head of the Commonwealth DPP, but I'm not seized of all the information that obviously he would be having," Russo said.
However, he said Bugg's decision did not necessarily reflect a lack of confidence in the way the case had been handled by police and prosecutors.
"Obviously he may have been getting pressure from somewhere and he's decided the easiest way to put it to bed, so to speak, is for him to look at it. (That pressure) could have been from the media, from the Law Council of Australia, lawyers in general," he said.
Russo said the review was an important step that could help end public speculation about the case.
The lawyer, however, said he was unsure if bungles in the police investigation are the reason for a DPP review of the case.
"I don't know whether the bungles, if I could call them that, are the reason for the DPP wanting to look at it," the lawyer said.
"I just think that it's probably a case that is pretty important," he added.
Russo said he hoped to convince Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews to allow his client to remain in Australia, after his visa was revoked last week.
"Our preferred option would be for him to be able to stay here in Australia and continue with his career. But if that's not possible, he would rather be reunited with his wife and daughter," Russo said.
