Melbourne, July 9
Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef, being questioned in Brisbane over the foiled UK bomb plot, will be held for another two days after the federal police were granted an extension by an interim court order.

The development came as Prime Minister John Howard today declined to comment on Haneef's detention, except to say that he was subject to the presumption of innocence.

"He has not been charged with any offence and he may not be charged with any offence," Howard told mediapersons.

Haneef has been held without charge for a week under federal counter-terrorism powers since he was arrested at Brisbane airport on Monday last.

Australian Federal Police had until 7 pm local time tonight to hold Haneef. But they applied to the Brisbane Magistrates Court seeking to extend the detention without charge for another five days.

The order was opposed by lawyers for Haneef at a closed court hearing which began at 4 pm.

The court's granted the police an interim order, allowing them to hold Haneef for another 48 hours.

The case will return to the same court on Wednesday where the police will argue for a further extension to the existing order.

The 27-year-old has been detained at a Brisbane watch-house since his arrest as authorities investigate whether he has any links to the failed attacks in London and at Glasgow airport, as well as to a national sleeper cell of foreign doctors established here to fund overseas terrorist activities.

The police are examining more than 30,000 documents seized in raids across Australia, including files on Haneef's laptop computer and mobile phone SIM cards left with the alleged UK bombers.

Just hours before the deadline, talking to ABC radio, Haneef's lawyer Peter Russo, who had a 30-minute meeting with him last night, claimed that he was being treated unfairly and all information on the case was not shared.

Officers searched Haneef’s apartment on the Gold Coast yesterday for the second time.

Meanwhile, attorney-general Philip Ruddock said that Haneef appeared to be in a hurry to leave the country.

“The appearance as I am told was that he had left rather hurriedly,” Ruddock said.

“His wife says it’s because she gave birth to a child two weeks ago,” he said adding “that may be well the reason but certainly the appearance was that his intention (was) to leave with speed.” Ruddock suggested that Haneef had given other reasons for his behaviour.

“The further explanations that have been offered may be reasonable but they may also be a cover for something else,” he was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’ today.

The attorney-general said other foreign doctors working in Australia, who had been questioned by police, could be interviewed again.