AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2007
Fed: US hits out at sympathetic portrayal of Hicks
By Sandra O'Malley, Diplomatic Correspondent
CANBERRA, Feb 19 AAP - US ambassador Robert McCallum has hit out at supporters he says
are painting an unduly sympathetic portrait of David Hicks, a man who left his children
behind when he went to train with militants in the Middle East.
Mr McCallum, who last week described Guantanamo Bay inmates like Hicks as ruthless
fanatics who would kill in the blink of an eye, defended his right to speak about the
detainees.
"I'm always kind of surprised that those who view things from a perspective that is
favourable to Mr Hicks are allowed to talk about whatever they care to and make whatever
allegations they care to," he said.
But Mr McCallum said when he spoke on behalf of the many American citizens traumatised
by the September 11 terrorist attacks it was viewed as prejudicial.
"(We are told) we cannot talk about anything because it might prejudice the case," he said.
Treasurer Peter Costello weighed into the debate yesterday when he claimed that Hicks
could easily have killed Australian soldiers if he hadn't been caught by coalition forces.
Hicks' US military lawyer Major Michael Mori accused Mr Costello of knowing nothing
about the facts of the case and trying to demonise his client.
"Obviously he is just going into this trying to demonise David Hicks and not speaking
of reality," Major Mori told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"He ought to ask for a briefing by Australian Federal Police and see if that's what
their investigation turned up."
Adelaide-born Hicks, 31, has been in the US military prison in Cuba for more than five
years since being picked up in Afghanistan in late 2001.
He has yet to be formally charged with anything, despite Prime Minister John Howard
last month setting the US a deadline of mid-February.
A convening authority is currently considering the charges recommended by prosecutors
- attempted murder and providing material support for terrorism - and Hicks is likely
be formally served with the charges within a few weeks.
Mr McCallum says he believes the deadline has been met.
"I certainly believe that the executive branch has done everything in its power to
meet the expectations and deadlines set by the prime minister," he said.
The case is a growing political headache for the government, which is now suggesting
Hicks could be home by the end of the year - either as a free man, if acquitted, or to
serve any prison term, if convicted.
Mr Howard is facing a backlash from coalition backbenchers who realise the issue is
generating growing concern in the electorate.
Mr McCallum suspects that is due to the publicity offensive waged by Hicks supporters,
who he says are painting an unduly sympathetic portrayal of the Muslim convert who is
accused of having trained with al-Qaeda.
"The legal strategy is to try to get your particular sympathetic points out and preclude
anyone from debating them," he said.
Mr McCallum said Hicks was presented as a father but no mention was made of what had
happened to his children when he ventured overseas.
"You can talk about the detainee's family, that he had multiple children, and not address
the issue of whether he left those children behind and whether he continued to provide
support for those children while he was out engaged in armed hostilities against innocents,"
he said.
However, Mr McCallum said he sympathised with what Hicks' father, Terry, was going through.
"I think that what one has to do is respect Mr Hicks' father, Terry Hicks, what any
father would be going through," he said.
"(What we need to do is) debate this on a broader basis, not with respect to David
Hicks individually."
AAP so/sb/wjf/imc/de
KEYWORD: HICKS NIGHTLEAD (PIX AVAILABLE)
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