(Australian) Government blocks release of advice on Hicks (detention)

[struggle4progress]

February 7, 2007 - 5:13PM

The federal government has blocked a bid to force it to release its advice about the legality of US military commissions set to try Australian terror suspect David Hicks.

The government used its majority in the Senate today to vote down a motion from the Australian Democrats calling for the release of legal advice regarding the military commissions.

The Senate action came after Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the US would likely agree to return Hicks home if the Australian government asked ...

Mr Ruddock told reporters in Canberra the government was unwilling to bring Hicks home because he couldn't be charged in Australia ...

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/government-blocks-release-of-advice-on-hicks/2007/02/07/1170524145809.html

[Joe Chi Minh]

1. Apparently, the Aussies are furious that one of their citizens has been held in prison

for so long without trial.

[Thorandmjolnir]

2. Only some of the Australians

Apparently, Mr. Hicks is still in Guantanamo,facing additional charges, because the Australian government has refused to ask for his release. Unlike Britain and most other European countries, which asked for the release of their citizens from Gitmo, the Aussies have not. The problem for the Howard government is, that under Australian law, Mr. Hicks has done nothing wrong.

So, they don't want him released, because of the scandal coming out that they help keep an Innocent man in jail for 5 years.

Better to charge and convict on trumped up charges.