Hadeeds remain behind bars

Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed will continue to be held in prison for at least the next two weeks, following a Court of Appeal ruling that allows the state to pursue its appeal to the Privy Council. The decision means the couple remains in custody despite a previous ruling that found their detention orders legally deficient.

The Court of Appeal judges stated they had to balance competing consequences. They concluded that if the Hadeeds were released and the allegations of an assassination conspiracy were proven true, the prejudice to the public interest would be greater than the prejudice caused by their continued detention. This period of detention is expected to be relatively short while the Privy Council hears the state's appeal.

The Hadeeds have been detained since June 24 under Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs). A differently constituted Court of Appeal had previously found they had established an arguable case that these orders were legally deficient. However, yesterday's hearing focused on the state's application to preserve the status quo.

During the hearing, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander filed an affidavit stating Genevieve Hadeed had been in contact with two individuals allegedly involved in illegal activities from mid-June until their detention. Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, representing the Hadeeds, argued that this affidavit did not strengthen the state's case. He questioned the existence of any assassination plot and suggested the allegations quickly unraveled once the individuals were identified. Mendes described one man as a respected local figure involved in community events, stating Genevieve Hadeed's communication with him related to charitable projects and back-to-school initiatives.

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What assassination plot?