Now this is interesting....
From the article sabra linked:
Eventually, went off to Pakistan, filled with romantic notions of riding the Silk Route on horseback, he told his parents. But still filled with a military desire, he joined Lashkar-i-Taibi, the guerrilla group run by Pakistan intelligence for the war against India in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
He then made his way to Afghanistan, where Laskhar-i-Taibi had training camps, in affiliation with Al-Qaeda. After the United States begun the war against the Taliban in Oct. 2001, Mr. Hicks was captured by the Northern Alliance, which was fighting with the Americans against the Taliban, and turned him over to the United States military for a bounty of several thousand dollars.
In seeking the recent control order, the Australian government adopted the view that Mr. Hicks was a threat to national security. Among the evidence the government introduced were letters he had written to his parents when he was Pakistan and Afghanistan. In them, Mr. Hicks speaks glowingly about Osama bin Laden, whom he claims to have met 20 times, which experts say is surely a boast, and spouts anti-Semetic rhetoric.
OK, let me get this straight:
Pakistani intel runs Laskhar-i-Taibi.
Laskhar-i-Taibi has training camps in affiliation with Al Qaeda.
Pakistan is (supposedly) a US ally in the (repeat after me) Global War On Terror.
Al Qaeda is (supposedly) a US enemy in the (repeat after me) Global War On Terror.
Somehow, we haven't heard complaints from BushCo about this alliance.
I know, none of this probably shocks most DU readers.
Still, it's a bit jarring to see it reported so... matter-of-factly by the NYT. Buried of course 16 paragraphs into the article.
Or maybe not. :P
(Cross-posted from
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3117649">this thread.)