By NNN-Bernama,
Melbourne : Australia’s Immigration Minister senator Chris Evans said he acted in the national interest in deciding that a Muslim cleric would have to leave Australia on the grounds of security risk.
According to the Australian Associated Press, Evans said he would not intervene on behalf of Dr Mansour Leghaei, who is the subject of an adverse security assessment by Australia’s spy agency, ASIO.
The Sydney-based cleric had already been denied a permanent visa by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and subsequently requested that Evans intervene in the case.
“Many people have expressed their support for Dr Leghaei and I understand that my decision will disappoint his friends and members of his local community,” Evans said.
“The fact remains that he is the subject of an adverse security assessment.”
Dr Leghaei’s wife, Marzieh Tabatabaei Hosseini, and son, Mohammad Ali Leghaei, have been granted permanent residency after the minister intervened in their cases.
“Mrs Hosseini will be able to remain in Australia with her children, three of whom are already Australian citizens,” he said.
Dr Leghaei has been granted a bridging visa to enable him to make arrangements to leave Australia.
Since first receiving an adverse security assessment in August 1997, he has had hearings before a range of bodies including the Immigration Review Tribunal, the Full Federal Court and the High Court.
Heis regarded as a moderate Shi’ite and has lived in Australia for 16 years.
ASIO first contacted him in 1995, a short time after he had returned from a holiday in Iran, carrying $10,000 in cash, reportedly a donation from the Islamic Propagation Centre in Tehran.