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JOHN Howard had finally joined Labor in calling for Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks to go to trial in front of a US civil court, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said today.

Mr Howard should already have demanded that the US Government put Hicks to trial or send him home two years ago, Mr Beazley said.

“Two years ago, we in the Labor Party argued that David Hicks should be placed before a US civil court to answer the charges that have been made against him,” Mr Beazley said.

“Finally yesterday, John Howard, having failed to argue with his friends in the United States that this should occur, finally joined the Labor Party in asking for the same thing.

“If Howard had the guts to say that to the American President then, if he had the courage of Tony Blair, then we wouldn't be holding this discussion here today.

“Either that trial would have occurred or Hicks would have been sent home as happened with the British who were picked up in the same raids (that uncovered Hicks).”

Mr Beazley said he was in no way condoning the accusations against Hicks.

“Don't get me wrong, he was caught on the battlefield with some very bad people and the Americans believe he has charges he ought to answer.

“Well, he should answer them, but he should answer them in a civil caught in a fair procedure.”

SOURCE: The Advertiser.news.com.au