David Hicks - 'Hicks Case Pushed to Suit Howard' (The Ausralian, 2008)

ꕤ Info/Reference SOURCE as marked David Hicks Source Primarily http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hicks-case-pushed-to-suit-howard/story-e6frg6nf-1111115636668 Hicks case 'pushed to suit Howard'     Geoff Elliott     The Australian     February 25, 2008 12:00AM ARTICLE SUMMARY Afghan Northern Alliance { ally of USA } sold Muslim convert David Hicks to US military for US$5,000 bounty -- 2001 - kidnapped & transferred to Guantanamo Bay -- tortured via anal examination -- 2004 - charges under new military commission system -- 2006 - ruling (Hamdan v. Rumsfeld) -- military commission unconstitutional -- US Act of Congress re-establishes military commission -- 2007 - desperate to get out of Guantanamo, accepts plea bargain -- accepts 9mths remainder of 7-year sentence -- precluded from media contact -- govt delayed his release until 2007 Aust. election -- by 2006 - Hicks 5 years detention without charge -- Col. Morris Davis -- Chief prosecutor, Bush admin Guantanamo tribunals -- says political interference -- by Bush admin & Howard govt (Col. Morris Davis)  -- William 'Jim' Haynes, seeks a 'how soon' on charges -- Pentagon's general counsel: William 'Jim' Haynes -- controversial figure -- tight with US VP Dick Cheney -- 2002 - endorsed military & CIA  -- use of 'enhanced' enhanced interrogation (ie torture) -- incl. water-boarding (simulated drowning) -- waterboarding regarded as torture by many legal experts -- At time of Hayes request: -- prosecution only had Military Commission Act in place -- no manual for military commissions -- no regulations for trial by military commissions -- no convening authority (to oversee tribunal process) -- Supreme Court had overturned military commission trial -- rules for military comm. trials subsequently rewritten -- Hayes request -- only sense in context of political environment in Australia -- Australia PM John Howard in press -- Howard making it clear Hicks had to be charged by Feb. -- US prosecution was getting pressured -- also, Dick Cheney was due to visit Australia at end February -- thus clear to prosecutor: -- Hicks was 'top-agenda item' with PM Howard -- Dick Cheney goes to Australia:  Hicks was charged -- pushing train out of station before all track was laid -- phone calls:  Hayes in Australia to Col. Davis, prosecutor -- PM Howard wanted Hicks settled:  difficult election -- sore point for Col. Davis -- Hicks Taliban terror training manual -- Col. Davis:  Australia's Taliban was no innocent abroad -- Col. Davis pro:  10 years prison plea deal -- Hicks case: -- disturbing signs of political interference from Haynes -- ignored because Hayes not in Col. Davis chain of command -- but:  2007 -- Pentagon reigns in independence of military lawyers -- change in tribunal oversight, 4 Oct 2007 -- Hayes put in charge of tribunal process -- political appointment Hayes opinions = prosecution orders -- Colonel Davis resigned & turned whistleblower -- not just political interference -- concern evidence obtained via torture at military court -- Col. Davis wanted no part in that -- Col. Davis gave up potential gains for clear conscience -- Col. Davis expected to be 'swiftboated' [CLICK IMAGE to enlarge] [CLICK IMAGE to enlarge] Meanwhile, back in Australia: -- PM Howard & his cabinet ministers deny political fix -- PM Howard & Foreign Minister Alexander Downer -- often misrepresented Hicks plea deal as 'agreement'  -- ie between Col. Davis & Hicks' military lawyer -- (Maj. Michael Mori) -- Col. Davis had no knowledge of deal -- Hicks deal struck behind prosecutor Col. Davis back -- between Major Mori -- & convening authority:  Susan Crawford -- Crawford deputised -- Brigadier Gen. Tom Hemingway to strike deal -- Brigadier Gen. Hemingway rejects political fix conclusion -- Brigadier Gen. Hemingway:  retired May 2011 -- Hemingway denies approach by Bush admin / VP office -- Col. Davis says Hemingway negotiated:  'a terrible deal' -- Col. Davis says:  any reasonable person: -- looking at timeline could conclude Hicks trial was rigged -- look at:  whole chronology -- impetus to help out PM John Howard -- impetus to make problem for PM Howard go away quickly -- problem went away in March 2007 'The Australian' -- asked Pentagon for a response (in a lengthy email) -- charting Colonel Davis's chronology -- General Hemingway, spox Jeffrey Gordon: merely disputes "the assertions made by Colonel Davis." Source Primarily http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/hicks-case-pushed-to-suit-howard/story-e6frg6nf-1111115636668 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hicks ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Got curious about Hicks.  Everyone probably knows all about him. I don't know anything about him, because I wasn't interested. Noticed Northern Alliance (the US allies) sold him.  Came across Northern Alliance the other day.   From what little I know so far, Northern Alliance sound despicable. It looks like the Hicks thing was politically exploited by the Liberal government? Need to come back to this.  Too sleepy to read now. ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- If I understand correctly, the Howard (Liberal) government in Australia was able to make things 'go away' (ie the settlement of the Hicks matter), & the incentive for the Australian politicians was political expediency:  ie need to present well in a difficult forthcoming election - and political friends in the US obliged? ꕤ