Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today denied pressurising the Immigration Minister into cancelling the visa of Mohammed Haneef or leaking information to the media designed to taint the Indian doctor, charged with recklessly supporting a terrorist group. Haneef was granted bail by a Brisbane magistrate last Monday but a few hours later Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revoked his visa.

Although Andrews cited character issues, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has admitted the revocation of Haneef's visa was designed to keep the hospital registrar in Australia while his court case is under way. Howard said he had discussed Haneef's visa with Andrews and senior members of cabinet, but had left it to the minister to decide on a course of action.

"We discussed it and it was discussed at a meeting of the National Security Committee of cabinet, but the final decision was taken by Kevin Andrews," Howard told a local TV channel here. "He exercised his discretion and we didn't seek to direct him. But often in these situations, the minister will seek the views of his colleagues and then go away and make his or her decision, there's nothing unusual about that" Howard said.

The prime minister declined to comment on the credibility of the prosecution case against Haneef, which has been dogged by claim and counter-claim about the handling of the police investigation.