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Curious Case of David Hicks of Gitmo
The case of Gitmo inmate Australian David Hicks, 31, is getting curiouser and curiouser. The latest news is that ‘Hicks will walk free from an Adelaide jail next New Year’s Day, even though the confessed terrorist was recommended a seven year sentence by a US military commission…’
9 Responses to “Curious Case of David Hicks of Gitmo”
The stench of hypocrisy emanating from the White House and Canberra on this one is overwhelming.
Unlike his fellow “enemy combatants” at Gitmo, Hicks will be spending New Year’s Day with his family for two reasons:
First, because he is a caucasian from a country that has slavishly supported the U.S. in Iraq and the so-called War on Terror’ lengthy incarceration.
Second and most importantly, his lengthy incarceration without trial and questions about his treatment had become a political liability for the Conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard.
[...] Somebody is getting off easy. Hicks did face a life sentence. Just how dangerous could he have been? Most curious? And look who wants to close Gitmo now. [...]
Key to his plea bargain, Hicks accepted a gag rule, in which he cannot speak to the press, he agrees to drop charges that he was tortured in Guantanamo and he’ll continue to be jailed until after the Australian federal election.
None of these seem like valid requests, just attempts at PR control.
He accutualy had it worse for being “white”. It raised his profile and kept him there when he otherwise might have been moved. Please be aware many people are still at Gitmo because their own countries don’t want them back.
Now that the government has manipulated the illegal court in the US to get Hicks back here a convicted terrorist I wander what will happen next? Not content to have helped to ruin the young man’s life by being complicit in this gross injustice and gagging him they now want to continue to demonize him further by saying he’s dangerous. Worst is because he didn’t get a fair trial we’ll never know what he really did or didn’t do. Howard must be very threatened by him to go to these lengths to stop him influencing the election which in itself says a lot. As one of Hicks’ loyal supporters I’m very concerned for him and I can only hope there’ll be a legal person here who can help him clear his name when he is eventually released. If the Howard government thinks we believe the rubbish they are trying to spread they obviously think we Aussies are ignorant and stupid and I don’t think most of us are. While Hicks may not be a hero in the usual sense of the word he certainly deserves credit to have survived the horrors and unjust treatment he has endured in that hell hole for so long.
David Hicks represents all of us…so he made a mistake..does that mean he should be tortured for 5 years without charge or trial…if this was my son or daughter, I would expect the Australian Government to act apon their behalf as an Australian citizen, innocent until proven guilty…We all make mistakes and can repent and see the light..All of us have been guilty of having made poor choices because of lack of education…does that mean that the US Government has the right to deny our freedom and persecute us unconditionally?
Who is right and who is wrong, should we silence those who stand for what they believe. Bush is not the ultimate judge. History will be.
The rest of the world is in turmoil and we can sit back and spout righteous propaganda, but we all make mistakes and should not be condemed for learning about the world. Who are we to say that we are in the right. Wait until all the soldiers come back fro Afghanistan and Iraq and see how they deal with the issues. The Bush Wars have created more trouble than we know. The future will tell.
Hicks has been made a scapegoat for the US Government from here on in, and heaven help those who come after…
Welcome back to Australia, David. Lets hope that you are able to share the rest of your life with your children and live a normal life. Peace to you. Enjoy the small moments.
In the USA, constitutional freedom of speech guarantees would never allow this travesty of justice that has now been imposed on David Hicks following five years of disgraceful treatment. It’s very obvious he has been gagged so his case will not damage John Howard’s election chances. May Howard be chucked out where he belongs for his cold heart. Worst Australian prime minister ever, as Bush is America’s worst president.
Do you people know anything about the guy? There was no doubt that he was involved with a known terrorist group. You have seen the letters he wrote his dad telling him so right? Where he was talking about the training camps? Why there is all this BS about legality I don’t know. It’s legal by US law and international law. Was he captured in Aus? No? So then sounds legal to me.
Why there is all this BS about legality I don’t know. It’s legal by US law and international law.
It almost certainly isn’t legal by US law. The US Supreme Court ruled the previous military commission illegal and a violation of both US law and the Geneva Conventions. The new commissions run under basically the same, discredited rules.
It definitely isn’t legal in international law. Indeed, the whole Gitmo saga is a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and other international treaties to which both America and Australia are signatories – the type that get you hung. This is why the UK government refused to allow British detainees to be held and tried and demanded their release. Not one was charged with any crime when returned to Britain.
The trial was a kangaroo court prosecuting a charge that didn’t even exist until October 2006, nearly 5 years after Hicks was detained, and administered by what are now war criminals.
Even worse, by acting illegally the pleas, findings and sentences are tainted and those convicted could well escape punishment if, as expected, the Supreme Court again acts. It may well determine that there is now no longer the possibility of a fair trial, if there ever was one.
But the biggest problem with this process is that by acting illegally it effectively puts American and Australian troops outside the protection of international law.