'UNASHAMED' DRUG USER IKTIMAL HAGE-ALI SAYS SHE DIDN'T WANT DEALER TO KNOW
SHE WAS USING DURING RAMADAN

Intercepted telephone calls between Young Australian of the Year
contender Iktimal Hage-Ali and her cocaine dealer were played in the
New South Wales District Court today.

Ms Hage-Ali, 24, is suing the state of NSW, claiming she was wrongly
arrested and detained by police in November 2006.

Under cross examination today by Peter Bodor QC, for the state of NSW,
Ms Hage-Ali said in late 2006 she bought cocaine from childhood friend
Bruce Fahdi, but denied she had ever been an addict.

"Did you consider it necessary at times to lie to Fahdi to get drugs?"
Mr Bodor asked.

She replied, "yes", and also agreed she had lied to him so she could
get drugs on credit.

She further agreed she had lied to him because she had not wanted
Fahdi to know she was consuming drugs during the religious period of
Ramadan.

During the calls, and the dealer used codes, in which they called
cocaine "dresses".

Middle Eastern Crime Squad officers arrested her on suspicion of being
a drug supplier and she was released without charge hours after her
arrest, after telling police she had bought cocaine for her own use.

The arrest occurred eight days before Ms Hage-Ali, a member of former
prime minister John Howard's Muslim Community Reference Group, was
named NSW Young Australian of the Year.

She later relinquished the title, amid a storm of controversy.

Yesterday, Ms Hage-Ali claimed in the District Court that she was
forced to move overseas after threats to her safety and that of her
family.

"I'm not ashamed of the fact that I have used cocaine," she
said.

"My concern is that I said I had bought that cocaine for my own
personal use ... I know that I took drugs but I still did a good job."

The hearing is continuing before Judge Michael Elkaim.