David Hicks

[bitingmidge]

Why is our press so fascinated with his position?

I don't remember them giving the same attention to the other poms in detention.

P

[echnidna]

Well now that he's a pom by his own free choice I reckon our Government should refuse to give him a visa to enter Australia.

But it is obscene that he's been in Jail for 4 years and never been to trial.

[Grunt]

He became a pom ONLY because our government was happy to let one of our citizens rot in jail without the possibilty of a fair and timely trial.

[bitingmidge]

Oh I don't know, he seemed to be enjoying himself when he was an Afghani.

P

[Grunt]

Maybe so but he still should be afforded a fair and speedie trial. It has been 4 1/2 years since his arrest and a trial is still not on the horizon.

The military tribunal he was going to be tried under was never going to be fair. The US Supreme Court has just ruled that there was no chance that David Hicks and the others would have a fair trial.

[echnidna]

I suspect he has a reasonable legal chance of walking free because his legal rights which are guaranteed to him under American constitutional law have been denied to him.

Our Government should be taken to task for acting to deny him a fair and impartial trial.

[Rowan]

He became a pom ONLY because our government was happy to let one of our citizens rot in jail without the possibilty of a fair and timely trial.

What a cynical view on life

in truth he beacame a pom only because he can play cricket:eek: :eek: :eek:

There is an ashes series coming up and they currently dont have a team that can stay out of hospital

[bitingmidge]

I don't get it.

How can any trial be fair when a bloke was picked up fraternising with the "enemy".

If he was an Afghani soldier on the wrong side what whould have happened? I imagine the trial would have been very swift indeed.

Surely one forfeits all normal rights when one takes up arms in another country other than in the name of one's own flag?

What possible reason could anyone have to train with a foreign force, and if one does why should they not be treated as a citizen of whatever regime they were supporting? Then the laws of that country would apply not ours.

Stuff like that used to be called treason.

Had these blokes been buying postcards, or lost on a backpakers trip, I'd have a different attitude.

Cheers,

P (the Unjust)

[Greg Q]

He has no rights under the american constitution. None at all, because he is not an American, is not held on Amercian soil, and is charged as an enemy combatant. Whatever protections he has would stem from the Geneva convention.

David Hicks is at best a mercenary killer for hire, at worst a criminal psychopath who bounces from Kosovo to Afghanistan looking to insert himself into a situation where anarchy prevails so that he can dress in fatigues and brandish RPG-7's.

Just once I'd like to see the media describe him as "captive British hobby killer", which is more honest than "Australian captive".

Having said that, 4 1/2 years is too long to have to wait for trial.

[TassieKiwi]

True midge - but it still shouldn't take 5 yrs to come to trial, even if it is before an illegal tribunal that is not even recognised by its own country.

:eek:

Little Johnny - "David who?"

[Grunt]

Stuff like that used to be called treason.

Yes, he should be put to trial and if found guilty, punished appropriately.

[Grunt]

in truth he beacame a pom only because he can play cricket:eek: :eek: :eek:

That would be an insanity plea.

[echnidna]

Give him a fair trial,
then take him out and hang him.

[Bodgy]

I think insanity is where it's at. If you look at his adult life, he does display symptoms.

Yes, he should have had a fair and timely trial, but it's certainly not at the top of my agenda.

I think that the picture of him with a rocket launcher lost him any sympathy and erased most doubts.

Stupid, loony kid. Personally I'm more concerned about tonight's game. Can the Cane Toads do us?

[duckman]

Well now that he's a pom by his own free choice I reckon our Government should refuse to give him a visa to enter Australia.

But it is obscene that he's been in Jail for 4 years and never been to trial.

Hicks has dual citizenship and so can't be kept out of Australia.