Australia immigration says leave the country: Sheik says No, No, No

March 15 2010 by Liam Clifford

An Iranian Sheik given just days to leave the country by Australia immigration has publicly stated that he has no intention of leaving the country.

As was the case of Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef, he is assured that the reasons the immigration authorities have presented for the case for deportation will be proved false.

Sheik Mansour Leghae, who has been investigated over a 12-year period by authorities and who has now been deemed a security risk, insists that he is staying put in Australia.

"I am not the first person that they have proven to be wrong in their assessment,"

"I have never doubted that I am going to win this case, not only because I believe I am innocent and very unfairly treated. There have been many innocent people before me and after me as well."

The Australian government are under mounting pressure to re-open the case on the sheik, who first came to Australia over 15 years ago. It has thus far been able to substantiate any claims that the renowned ‘moderate’ Shia cleric is in actual fact a security risk. The charges being levied at the cleric, who is also a Doctor, is that he is a spy.

However this has not deterred Australian immigration from seeking deportation of the man, and to date the sheik/doctor has exhausted every possible avenue for appeal.
The only option that could now save him would be an intervention from the Australian immigration minister himself, Chris Evans.

The appeal by Leghaei would be on humanitarian grounds, and highlights how convoluted the deportation process is in countries like Australia.

Leghaei gave an interview yesterday with a leading Sydney publication, and reportedly broke down as he described the turmoil this was putting on his family of three sons and one daughter. All his offspring have permanent residency in Australia apart from one of his sons, Ali, 21, who will be deported with him.

The pair have been given until Friday to leave the country, what will happen if the sheik is true to his word is not clear.

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