Hicks' father pushes for action on release comments

[cal04]

The Federal Government is being called upon to clarify statements by Bush administration that Guantanamo Bay detainees should be released to their country of origin.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said he wants to see detainees tried and possibly jailed in their home countries.The father of an Australian detainee, David Hicks, says the Federal Government needs to press the matter further.

"The Federal Government should be speaking to Rumsfeld to find out whether this is a fact or whether it's just talk," he said."If it is fact, then they should be doing something to get David back."Mr Hicks says although David has already been charged in the US, he would have no charges to face in Australia.

"This would be an appropriate time now for the Australian to step in and see if they can get David back to Australia, regardless of whether he's got to face anything here or not - as long as he gets back home," he said. Hicks has been held in Cuba for more than three years. He has been charged with terrorism-related offences but his trial has been delayed by legal argument over the validity of the US's system of military tribunals. A second Australian, Mamdouh Habib, was released in February without charge.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1389045.htm

[Matilda]

1. The crux of the matter is

" ... he would have no charges to face in Australia."

That's what Howard can't stand - he's such a vindictive and mean
little man, he can't bear to let Hicks walk.

And unfortunately, most Australians just don't seem to care - they
see someone who joined the Taliban and is therefore mad or bad, or
both - they can't see that this is setting a bad precedent for all
Australians who might innocently get caught up a bad situation while
travelling, nor that it simply violates a man's human rights.

[struggle4progress]

2. kick