Australia finalizes deal for Guantanamo exchange

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Australia finalizes deal for Guantanamo exchange

By James Grubel
Reuters
Thursday, March 29, 2007; 2:44 AM

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia will have no power to shorten any prison
sentence for Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks under a new prisoner-
exchange deal with the United States, the country's top lawmaker said
on Thursday.

The Australian government on Thursday formally endorsed the new
prisoner exchange deal, which covers people jailed by U.S. military
tribunals, clearing the way for Hicks to serve out his prison sentence
at home.

After five years in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Hicks, 31, could be
sentenced by the end of the week after he pleaded guilty to a charge of
helping al Qaeda fight American troops and their allies in 2001 during the
U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.

"The arrangement with the United States is such that only the United
States can pardon a prisoner," Attorney-General Philip Ruddock told
parliament, adding the government would not be able to alter or shorten
any prison sentence.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/29/AR2007032900159.html

[depakid]

1. I hope that once Howard's out of power that the Ozzies come to their senses

and break the agreement.

America is NOT a country worthy of keeping these sorts of agreements with- since it refuses to sign, ratify or abide by international treaties itself.

In this case, it's pretty obvious that the man simply wanted to get away from torture and illegal imprisonment. If he can make that case, he deserves to be set free.

[Esra Star]

2. My guess is that after a respectable time there will be some

technical fault will be "found" in the process.
The decision will be nullified and the US won't
persue the matter. Everything that has happened to Hicks
is illegal according to Australian law. So Hicks will
be freed. The government will slap some bullshit
control order on him, but that is a joke.
Howard will not want this guy in jail come election time.

[Vidar]

3. Howard, Blair & Bush should hang from the same gallows.

[bananarepublican]

6. The loudest 'Three-Amigo-prophets' of the bogus 'War on Terror'!

Perhaps they would enjoy living in the same, roomy, Hague-sponsored, cell. I'm sure both Bliar and (Noel)Howard would volunteer to pick up the soap from George's presidential shower floor!!!

[Eugene]

4. Hicks facing less than 20 years

Source: Associated Press

Hicks facing less than 20 years

By MICHAEL MELIA, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 43 minutes ago

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The prosecution will seek a
sentence of "substantially less" than 20 years for Australian David
Hicks, a Guantanamo detainee who pleaded guilty to a terrorism-
related charge this week, the chief prosecutor for the military
tribunals said Thursday.

The prosecutor, Air Force Col. Morris Davis, had said earlier he would
ask for a sentence of about 20 years, on par with the punishment for
American Taliban fighter American John Walker Lindh.

-snip-

Hicks is scheduled to appear before a military judge Friday to enter
his guilty plea under oath. His attorneys had said their client was
considering a plea deal to end his five-year imprisonment at
Guantanamo. Davis dismissed speculation that the guilty plea was
insincere.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070329/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_hicks

---

Also: Deals unlikely for others at Gitmo - AP

[Eugene]

5. Guantanamo prisoner Hicks signs plea deal

Source: Reuters

Guantanamo prisoner Hicks signs plea deal
30 Mar 2007 13:34:17 GMT
Source: Reuters

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba, March 30 (Reuters) - Australian
Guantanamo pisoner David Hicks signed a plea agreement that limits his
sentence for supporting terrorism to seven years in prison, the tribunal judge
said on Friday.

But it was unclear whether that would include the five years that Hicks has
already been held at the U.S. prison camp for foreign terrorism suspects.

Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30243327.htm