LAWYER SLAMS "INACTION" ON AUSTRALIAN HELD AT GUANTANAMO

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06716945
• 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

Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716945
UNCLAS
WARNING: TOPIC: HUMAN RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL,
TERRORISM
SERIAL: SEP20020407000021
COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES, AFGHANISTAN
SUBJ: LAWYER SLAMS "INACTION" ON AUSTRALIAN HELD AT
GUANTANAMO
SOURCE: MELBOURNE RADIO AUSTRALIA IN ENGLISH 0900 GMT 7 APR 02
TEXT:
[FBIS TRANSCRIBED TEXT] LAWYER SLAMS "INACTION" ON AUSTRALIAN
HELD AT GUANTANAMO
TEXT OF REPORT BY RADIO AUSTRALIA ON 7 APRIL
THE LAWYER FOR DAVID HICKS, THE AUSTRALIAN ACCUSED OF BEING A
TALEBAN FIGHTER, HAS EXPRESSED MORE FRUSTRATION OVER WHAT HE
CALLS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S INACTION REGARDING HIM. THE US
GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO PERMIT AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS TO
TRAVEL TO CUBA TO INTERVIEW HICKS, WHO HAS BEEN HELD BY US
FORCES IN THE GUANTANAMO BAY HIGH-SECURITY FACILITY SINCE HIS
CAPTURE LATE LAST YEAR. THE FOREIGN MINISTER, ALEXANDER
DOWNER, SAYS AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS MET HICKS WHEN HE WAS FIRST
CAPTURED IN AFGHANISTAN AND ANOTHER MEETING IS IMMINENT. HE
SAYS EVENTUALLY THE UNITED STATES WILL EITHER CHARGE HICKS OR
RELEASE HIM TO AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES, BUT HICKS'S LAWYER,
STEPHEN KENNY, SAYS THAT ATTITUDE FROM MR DOWNER IS NOT GOOD
ENOUGH.
[KENNY] NO IT'S NOT, REALLY. I MEAN, ASIO [AUSTRALIAN SECURITY
INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION] AND FEDERAL POLICE INTERVIEWED HIM
ON 24 DECEMBER. I MEAN, IT IS NOW APRIL. HE HAS BEEN IN CUSTODY
SINCE THAT TIME, IN A CAGE, WITHOUT CHARGE AND WITHOUT ANY
DETERMINATION BEING MADE ON THE GROUNDS FOR HIS DETENTION. I
DON'T THINK THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH.
[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
FOIA-06153
Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716945
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DISSEMINATION IS PROHIBITED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT
OWNERS.
FOIA-06154
Approved for Release: 2018/05/01 C06716945