30/06/2006
Prime Minister John Howard has urged the US to find a quick alternative for dealing with terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay after the inmates won a major court victory.
In a blow to US President George W Bush and the US military, America's Supreme Court has ruled the controversial military commissions set up to prosecute Australian David Hicks and other Guantanamo prisoners were illegal. Mr Howard said he was not embarrassed by the ruling but admitted his government, and the US administration, were incorrectly advised that the military commission process was lawful. He said the US government had to move fast to find another process to try Hicks and the other detainees at the US naval base in Cuba.
"What now has to happen is that, quite quickly in my view, the administration has to decide how it will deal with the trial of the people who are being held," he told Southern Cross broadcasting. "Our view in relation to Mr Hicks is that he should be brought to trial. "As the military commission trial is regarded by the court as unconstitutional, there clearly has to be another method of trial - a court martial or a civilian trial - which conforms with the supreme court decision." Labor MP Tanya Plibersek has called on the federal government to bring Hicks home. "You can't leave someone indefinitely in detention in the hope that one day some evidence will turn up against him," she told the Seven Network. "Try him, convict him, or release him." Federal Human Services Minister Joe Hockey said the government was anxious for Hicks to go to trial. "We have been pushing and pushing the US government to put him to trial - to try him and have him convicted," he said. "There has been a lot of legal argy bargy. "Now the US Supreme Court, the highest court in the US, has said that they believe the Guantanamo Bay process is wrong ... and the ball is now back in President Bush's court. "Obviously, we will be waiting for the US government to find out what they will do now with Hicks." Hicks, originally from Adelaide, was captured among Taliban forces in Afghanistan in December 2001. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, attempted murder and aiding the enemy. "David Hicks was not organising a tea party, he was allegedly involved in very serious activities," Mr Hockey said.
SOURCE: News.ninemsn.com |
