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BRISBANE - The Australian Federal Police have dropped a bid to extend the detention of Dr Mohamed Haneef.
The AFP was to seek an extra three days of detention, but today in the Brisbane Magistrates Court withdrew the move.
Police are now understood to have 12 hours, spread over three days, in which to question Dr Haneef before charging or releasing him.
A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said an application for the extension of "dead time", in which a person could be held while an investigation took place but not questioned, had been withdrawn.
Questioning had started at 3pm (5pm NZT) today, the spokesman said.
Dr Haneef has been in the Brisbane watchhouse since July 2, when he was picked up by police at the international airport trying to leave the country on a one-way ticket to India.
His lawyers attended court today to oppose the bid by the AFP to hold him for a further three days.
Lawyer Peter Russo told reporters before going into the Brisbane Magistrates Court his client - who is being questioned over his alleged links to the foiled UK terrorist plot - was getting depressed after 11 days in detention.
He said Dr Haneef had become "a bit teary" when they discussed the length of time he already had spent in custody.
Dr Haneef also today voluntarily consented to federal police DNA testing him and getting his fingerprints - a move which Mr Russo said a magistrate would have approved anyway.
A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said the timing of the questioning would be determined by Dr Haneef himself, rather than allotted into blocks of time by the interviewing officers.
If he wished to take a break from questioning he could do so.
This could mean if questioning continues overnight, with a lengthy break for sleep, Dr Haneef could be charged or freed as early as tomorrow.
- AAP
