AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED OVER ACCESS TO ALLEGED TALEBAN FIGHTER

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06716938
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2018
• Case Number: F-2018-00242
• Publication Date: April 3, 2002

Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716938
UNCLAS
WARNING: TOPIC: INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL, TERRORISM, HUMAN
RIGHTS
SERIAL: SEP20020403000061
COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA, AFGHANISTAN, UNITED STATES
SUBJ: AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED OVER ACCESS TO
ALLEGED TALEBAN FIGHTER
SOURCE: MELBOURNE RADIO AUSTRALIA IN ENGLISH 0700 GMT 3 APR 02
TEXT: [FBIS TRANSCRIBED TEXT] AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
CRITICIZED OVER ACCESS TO ALLEGED TALEBAN FIGHTER
TEXT OF REPORT BY RADIO AUSTRALIA ON 3 APRIL
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF NOT PROVIDING
CONSULAR VISITS TO AN ALLEGED AUSTRALIAN TALEBAN FIGHTER,
DAVID HICKS. MR HICKS HAS BEEN HELD IN A US MILITARY DETENTION
CENTRE IN CUBA FOR THE PAST 79 DAYS. HIS LAWYER, STEPHEN KENNY,
SAYS THE US GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO ALLOW
CONSULAR ACCESS TO HIS CLIENT BUT THE OFFER HASN'T BEEN TAKEN
UP. TEN DAYS AGO, AUSTRALIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER, ALEXANDER
DOWNER, SAID AUSTRALIAN CONSULAR OFFICIALS WOULD VISIT THE
ADELAIDE MAN, BUT MR KENNY SAYS THIS HASN'T HAPPENED.
[KENNY] NO, HE IS NOT GETTING CONSULAR ACCESS. WE HAVE WRITTEN
ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS TO THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL - INDEED, THE
AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR IN MEXICO, WHO HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR
CUBAN MATTERS. OUR REQUESTS HAVE BEEN IGNORED. THE FEDERAL
ATTORNEY-GENERAL, DARYL WILLIAMS, HAS SPECIFICALLY STATED
THAT CONSULAR ACCESS WOULD NOT BE REQUESTED. WE ARE
MYSTIFIED AS TO WHY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
TRADE SEEMS TO BE IN BREACH OF ITS OWN GUIDELINES CONCERNING
THESE MATTERS.
[DESCRIPTION OF SOURCE: MELBOURNE RADIO AUSTRALIA IN ENGLISH --
GOVERNMENT-FUNDED OVERSEAS SERVICE OF THE AUSTRALIAN
BROADCASTING CORPORATION]
THIS REPORT MAY CONTAIN COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. COPYING AND
DISSEMINATION IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT
OWNERS. (ENDALL)
BT #5896 8401
FOIA-06155
Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716938
Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716938
FOIA-06156
Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716938