Lib breaks ranks to speak up for Hicks(Try Hicks or free him)

[cal04]

LIBERAL backbencher Danna Vale has broken party ranks and spoken out against the detention of Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks. The former veteran affairs minister says she asked Prime Minister John Howard to demand Hicks be tried immediately or brought home to Australia. Hicks, a 29-year-old convert to Islam, is accused of training with al-Qaeda and has been held by the US military in Cuba since January 2002, a month after his capture in Afghanistan. Ms Vale today said she raised the issue with the prime minister in front of party colleagues this week.

She described his continued detention as "offence against the principal of law".
"Justice delayed is justice denied and this fellow does not appear to be able to access any justice at all," Ms Vale told ABC Radio. "After examining my conscience I'm concerned that this fellow will either die there or he will be released. "My concern is if in any case he does die there, what have I done as a member of parliament to speak up for his case?" Mr Howard refused her request to speak with US President George W Bush about the case, Ms Vale said. She received some support from her party colleagues, but did not know whether they would join her call on the prime minister.

"The prime minister and I hold different views on this particular situation," she said. "I have a view that the prime minister is the only person in Australia who could ask Mr Bush to send David Hicks home." Ms Vale said the Americans were taking too long to settle Hicks' case and he could be dealt with in Australia. She told ABC radio that if necessary retrospective laws could be passed in Australia to deal with his case.

Hicks' father Terry said today he hoped Ms Vale's stance would snowball among her coalition colleagues. "Now there's one or two maybe it will snowball," he said."Maybe they have realised he will not get a fair trial." Mr Hicks said his son would not get a fair hearing if he faces a military commission, particularly after the Pentagon refused three international
expert witnesses to testify on his behalf. Hicks defence has two hopes that such a hearing can be avoided, including an appeal against Britain's refusal to grant him citizenship.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1505134.htm
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17220610%255E1702,00.html

[struggle4progress]

1. Bless you, Danna Vale. The idea of the rule of law is one real treasure ..

.. of the ancient English heritage that we must never allow to slip away: it cost too many generations too dearly to develop and nurture that idea for us to grow indifferent to it ...