Terror group assistant can remain for now A man who claimed to have gathered intelligence for an alleged terrorist organisation which resulted in the murder of a policeman will be allowed to remain in Australia for the time being. The High Court yesterday found 3-2 in favour of Darjit Singh after the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, contested a Federal Court decision that had found the Administrative Appeals Tribunal erred in law in saying Mr Singh had no right to apply to be accepted as a refugee in that it appeared he had committed a "serious non-political crime". Mr Singh's case will go back to the tribunal for reconsideration. Mr Singh admits to having worked for the Khalistan Liberation Force. He said he fled India because the police were arresting members of the group, which wants establishment of an independent Sikh state. He has been on a bridging visa since entering Australia in 1996. Justice Murray Gleeson found in his part of the judgement that Mr Singh said he joined the group in 1984 after he claimed his family's business and property were destroyed by "Hindu mobs encouraged by the Indian Government". He had given the group information about the movements of a police officer who had tortured one of its members. The group subsequently killed the officer. Justice Ian Callinan found it could be concluded Mr Singh was at least an accessory to the murder of the policeman. A spokesman for Mr Ruddock said the tribunal's decision could "go either way". Andrew Clennell FROM http://smh.com.au/news/0203/08/national/national25.html
