A Sri Lankan man detained in a supermax Australian prison after he was accused of plotting to kill former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and then Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has described the Australian Federal Police investigation into his case as " immature, unprofessional and irresponsible."
Charges were dropped against Mohamed Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen late last month with police admitting he probably did not write threats contained in a notebook.
The 25-year-old, who was charged with creating a document in connection with preparing for a terrorist act, spent four weeks behind bars before being released.
He is planning to sue police for compensation.
Family members, human rights activists and civic groups hold placards and photographs of Kamer Nizamdee. Source: AAP
At a press conference in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo t he University of NSW contractor has slammed the AFP investigation as "embarrassing and biased".
"The method in which the AFP conducted themselves was completely immature, unprofessional, irresponsible, embarrassing, and biased to say the least," he said, according to the ABC.
"I strongly believe this happened because I am an Asian, on a student visa.
"And the AFP... had the wrong impression that I did not have the resources or capability of defending my innocence.
"After I was charged and incarcerated, my only consolation was having faith in the Australian judicial system, which is completely independent to the Australian Federal Police.
"Following eight hours of questioning, detectives thought it was fit to charge me under Australian's draconian laws.
"This was after I denied several times that the handwriting was mine."
The sole evidence against Mr Nizamdeen was a notebook handed to police by a colleague at the University of NSW.
Hand-writing experts found differences between the script in the notebook and Mr Nizamdeen's own writing, and following advice the charges were formally withdrawn in September.
Demonstrations were held in Mohamed Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen's hometown of Colombo, calling for his release. Source: AP
AFP Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney subsequently told reporters "at this stage, based on the evidence we've got, it's likely he did not write those comments in the notebook".
NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing denied police had ruined the young man's life, stating "those who were involved in the production and manufacture of (the notebook) are the ones who've had an impact on Mr Nizamdeen".
Senior police argued investigators had acted in good faith and notified prosecutors as soon as they realised there could be an issue with the evidence.
