NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, he got seven years, but all but nine months of the sentence was suspended.

So after five years in Guantanamo and being convicted for providing material support to Al Quaida, he's sent home to Australia to serve nine months?

...

This is just ridiculous. This is supposedly one of the worst of the worst? The travesty of Guantanamo continues, but at least one guy gets to go home.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6512945.stm

Australian Guantanamo detainee David Hicks will be sent home to serve nine months in prison after being sentenced by a military judge at the facility.

Hicks, 31, was sentenced to seven years in jail after pleading guilty to supporting terrorism, but all but nine months of the sentence was suspended.

The ex-kangaroo skinner has been in the prison for five years since his capture in Afghanistan as a Taleban fighter.

Australia's government has reacted coolly to news of his transfer.

Under a plea bargain deal with the prosecution, Hicks could only be sentenced to a maximum of seven years.

The plea deal also specifies that any term beyond nine months be suspended, the judge at the sentencing hearing on Friday evening revealed.

The US must now send Hicks to his home country within 60 days - by 29 May.

"We hope that it happens much quicker than that," said his defence lawyer, Col Michael Mori.

As part of his plea deal, Hicks has agreed not to speak to the media for a year, not to receive any money for his story and not to sue the US government.

He is the first Guantanamo detainee convicted of any terrorist offence since they began arriving at the camp a little over five years ago.

The US is gradually putting other prisoners through the same process.

Hicks is also the first person convicted by a US war crimes court since World War II.

Heh.
So what are WYTYG's puppetstings made out of if you are inside of them?

Looks like they know they screwed the pooch on this one so are giving him an almost free pass (aside from the 5 years already served) on the condition he doesn't further embarras them by talking about his treatment.

Does this look like cohersion to anyone else?

"Spend 9 months in jail as long as you shut up about this and go away and don't embarras us further OR undergo a 'trial' with one of our buddies deciding if you are guilty and spend 20 more years here"

I wonder if this will be SOP for the rest of the ones they are trying?

Looks like they know they screwed the pooch on this one so are giving him an almost free pass (aside from the 5 years already served) on the condition he doesn't further embarras them by talking about his treatment.

Does this look like cohersion to anyone else?

"Spend 9 months in jail as long as you shut up about this and go away and don't embarras us further OR undergo a 'trial' with one of our buddies deciding if you are guilty and spend 20 more years here"

I wonder if this will be SOP for the rest of the ones they are trying?

Thats the kind of thing they say to the ones grabbed in "sweeps" in Iraq. Sign saying your guilty and go, or plead innocent and stay.

Looks like they know they screwed the pooch on this one so are giving him an almost free pass (aside from the 5 years already served) on the condition he doesn't further embarras them by talking about his treatment.

Does this look like cohersion to anyone else?

"Spend 9 months in jail as long as you shut up about this and go away and don't embarras us further OR undergo a 'trial' with one of our buddies deciding if you are guilty and spend 20 more years here"

I wonder if this will be SOP for the rest of the ones they are trying?

Probably not. Hicks had the "advantage" of being from Australia which meant that he had more persuasive allies and that he had a nation who was willing to take him back. Most of the people in Guantanamo are nationless now--their governments have no desire to take them back as citizens, and so the US has nowhere to send them, guilty or not.

im glad he is getting out. i hope he hasnt been too damaged by his time in guantanamo to be able to live a happy life from now on.

Well, he got seven years, but all but nine months of the sentence was suspended.

So after five years in Guantanamo and being convicted for providing material support to Al Quaida, he's sent home to Australia to serve nine months?

...

This is just ridiculous. This is supposedly one of the worst of the worst? The travesty of Guantanamo continues, but at least one guy gets to go home.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6512945.stm

What the hell?

Heh.
So what are WYTYG's puppetstings made out of if you are inside of them?
Not inside, more like hanging from them :p
Does this look like cohersion to anyone else?
Absolutely. It also looks like a complete failure by the US.
im glad he is getting out. i hope he hasnt been too damaged by his time in guantanamo to be able to live a happy life from now on.
Me too. But after five years I have my doubts. He might be seriously damaged by the ordeal.
What the hell?
Indeed.

Why hold him for five years and call him one of the most dangerous men alive if you're willing to make a plea and let him serve only nine months?

Remind me again the supposed reason why these cases couldn't be tried in a normal court of law? :rolleyes:

ya know im thinking that i should be writing letters to presidential candidates asking them to pledge that if they are elected they will shut down the prison at guantanamo bay in their first 100 days. i certainly hope it will become a moot point by having bush shut it down before then.

He's not a Muslim nor is he of Middle Eastern descent.

Me too. But after five years I have my doubts. He might be seriously damaged by the ordeal.

Why hold him for five years and call him one of the most dangerous men alive if you're willing to make a plea and let him serve only nine months?

Remind me again the supposed reason why these cases couldn't be tried in a normal court of law? :rolleyes:

This guy was damaged when he went in, probably. I guess the pundits "thought" that since he isn't Muslim or Middle Eastern, he can't be a terrorist.

He's not a Muslim nor is he of Middle Eastern descent.
I thought he was a muslim convert.

Maybe this is all a big trick. Make the rest of the inmates that they'll get sent home for a nominal sentence if they plead guilty. Then when the plead guilty they'll get executed.

ya know im thinking that i should be writing letters to presidential candidates asking them to pledge that if they are elected they will shut down the prison at guantanamo bay in their first 100 days. i certainly hope it will become a moot point by having bush shut it down before then.
You know, that is a good idea. And you do what you can do to get it shut down. :)

I say go for it! http://www.freesmileys.org/emo/happy088.gif
This guy was damaged when he went in, probably. I guess the pundits "thought" that since he isn't Muslim or Middle Eastern, he can't be a terrorist.
And so he can be afforded a plea bargain, while the rest can't? *sigh* Mybe they are thinking that way...

It's pure sillyness!

I thought he was a muslim convert.
He is.
Maybe this is all a big trick. Make the rest of the inmates that they'll get sent home for a nominal sentence if they plead guilty. Then when the plead guilty they'll get executed.
:eek:

By jove, you've got it man! So simple, yet so diabolical!

*Hires Ifreann for the Ministry of Evildoing*

ya know im thinking that i should be writing letters to presidential candidates asking them to pledge that if they are elected they will shut down the prison at guantanamo bay in their first 100 days. i certainly hope it will become a moot point by having bush shut it down before then.

I'm with you. On a slightly related note, I'd also like presidential candidates promise that they're rescind the Bush executive order which sealed the archives of former presidents, and go a step farther--promise to release any and all records of the last presidency except for those which would expose the lives of secret agents. Put it all out there for everyone to see.

I'm with you. On a slightly related note, I'd also like presidential candidates promise that they're rescind the Bush executive order which sealed the archives of former presidents, and go a step farther--promise to release any and all records of the last presidency except for those which would expose the lives of secret agents. Put it all out there for everyone to see.

oh thats an excellent one.

maybe we should draw up a list of human and constitutional rights that we need reinstituted. including following the geneva conventions and no torture rules.

And so he can be afforded a plea bargain, while the rest can't? *sigh* Mybe they are thinking that way...

It's pure sillyness!

It is. What this country needs is a tryout for the next Jackass movie. All those bastards will get killed right off.

i hope he falls off the face of the world as i'm sick of hearing of it

It is. What this country needs is a tryout for the next Jackass movie. All those bastards will get killed right off.

What the country needs is to take the rule-of-law and human rights seriously, and not portray itself as a champion of hypocrisy.
i hope he falls off the face of the world as i'm sick of hearing of it
I'll see if I can't pull a few strings and relocate him to your neighbourhood ;)

I'll see if I can't pull a few strings and relocate him to your neighbourhood ;)

an when he can talk about all of it , you hear on the news he is dead

What the country needs is to take the rule-of-law and human rights seriously, and not portray itself as a champion of hypocrisy.

That works too.