29/06/2006
Terrorist suspect David Hicks will serve any jail sentence he is given in Australia, but his father says that provides small comfort for the Guantanamo Bay inmate.
Justice Minister Chris Ellison said Thursday Australia has brokered a prisoner transfer agreement with the United States for Hicks, who is being held by the US with other terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. "We do now have an agreement in place for Mr Hicks to be transferred to Australia in the event that he was imprisoned for a period of time," Senator Ellison told reporters in Adelaide. Hicks' father, Terry Hicks, said the transfer agreement had been mooted for some time. "It does give some comfort," Mr Hicks said. "It will mean that he's back in his own country and won't be in a US jail or, worse, kept at Guantanamo Bay." Adelaide-born Hicks is days away from knowing whether he will face a US military commission trial. Hicks has been detained by the US since being captured among Taliban forces in Afghanistan in December 2001. He has pleaded not guilty charges of attempted murder, aiding the enemy and conspiracy. But whether he faces a military commission trial depends on the outcome of a US Supreme Court ruling in a landmark test case brought by another Guantanamo Bay detainee. Lawyers for the detainee, Yemeni national Salim Ahmed Hamdan, have challenged the legality of the commissions and the US Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision within days. If Hamdan's lawyers are successful, Hicks could be tried in the US civilian court system or a traditional military court martial. If unsuccessful, Hicks' military commission trial is likely to proceed.
SOURCE: The Age |
