Former Guantanamo inmate set free.
By on Dec 28th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Former Guantanamo inmate set free.
Australian David Hicks, “the first person convicted at an American war crimes trial since World War II was freed from prison on Saturday, after completing his U.S. imposed sentence.” Hicks spent five years in detention at Guantanamo Bay, followed by a nine month sentence in prison. “He was told to remain silent about any alleged abuse he suffered while in custody.”
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Under the deal, Hicks forfeited any right to appeal his conviction and agreed not to speak with news media for a year from his sentencing date.
I’d love to hear from this guy in a year about his five years at Guantanamo…
December 28th, 2007 at 6:17 pmBush is making these people into martyrs.
This guy may as well be Alexander Solzhenitsyn or Natan Sharansky.
Heckuva job with the New American Gulags.
-GSD
December 28th, 2007 at 6:21 pm“He was told to remain silent about any alleged abuse he suffered while in custody.â€
Now why would they tell him that if they hadn’t tortured him? Besides, what are they going to do to him now? If he goes in front of the cameras and tells the world what happened to him at the “Country Club” Gitmo, Bush will have a hard time laying his hands on the guy again without the world knowing about it. Hopefully this guy isn’t a psychologically broken man like Padilla is, thanks to our government.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:26 pmYou mean they have released ‘the worst of the worst’ and have simply given him an admonishment to behave?
-GSD
December 28th, 2007 at 6:34 pm“Under the deal, Hicks…agreed not to speak with news media for a year from his sentencing date.”
What a coincidence. That’s just over a month after the presidential elections are over.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:39 pmBesides, what are they going to do to him now?
Comment by bilbobaggins — December 28, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
part of the plea argreement, which, if violated, means he goes back to jail to serve the rest of the seven year sentence…
December 28th, 2007 at 6:40 pmI thought Australia had a new PM who was going to undo the abuses of that war criminal howard. If hicks isn’t allowed to speak about his torture at US hands it doesn’t sound like the new auzssie gov is off to a good start.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:41 pmGood point klide, how about a full and complete pardon for Hicks, so he can clear the air and let the world know what’s really happening at Gitmo.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:44 pmYea, perhaps he can get a Presidential pardon!
December 28th, 2007 at 6:56 pmJust what were his crime’s that he had to serve 5 year’s.? Promise not to tell about torture and go quietly into the night.?////Hummmm and the slime bag scooter goes free with out serving after comitting treason, bush and cheney running their lieing loose war’s and degrading our contitution just to name a few and palosi and reid let them get away with murder daily…Every bit of this make’s me sick..Our forfather’s must be as ashamed as I am of this evil country and the enabeler’s that inhabit it…Freedom and Liberty, hah, what a joke it belong’s to the rich murderer’s in this administration only…It’s getting so bad I think I would be better served to be like my neighbor’s, bored, uninvolved, non voter’s…..
December 28th, 2007 at 7:05 pm“He was told to remain silent about any alleged abuse he suffered while in custody.â€
Now why would they tell him that if they hadn’t tortured him?
Comment by bilbobaggins — December 28, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
Excellent point. One would think the US should have nothing to hide in its treatment of prisoners.
One would think.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:16 pmA Jewish rabbi living in the West Bank has called on the Israeli government to use their troops to kill all Palestinian males more than 13 years old in a bid to end Palestinian presence on this earth.
http://www.imemc.org/content/view/21527/1/
“We fired more than a million cluster bombs in Lebanon. …What we did was insane and monstrous, we covered entire towns in cluster bombs,” (the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/761781.html
Finally, no expose of Zionism and Jewish Supremacism would be complete without reference to Lenni Brenner’s amazing book, 51 Documents: Zionist Collaboration with the Nazis. Here is a revealing book review by William Hughes, read it and weep:
History can be deceptive. It’s fair to say that some of the sensational never-published-before documents, in this book, will shock those who have accepted Zionism and its supposed history, at face value, as a political movement that was the hope of the Jews. Lenni Brenner, the intrepid author of “Zionism in the Age of Dictators,” reveals disturbing new evidence in his latest effort, that suggest just the opposite. In fact, he makes a compelling case that the Zionist record was “dishonorable.” You can consider this excellent tome as a worthy sequel to his first expose’ on the myopic Zionist zealots of that bygone era.
For openers, Brenner showed how the Zionists had a long history of shameless cooperation with the Nazis, especially after the dictator Adolph Hitler had came to power in 1933. The Zionists were also in bed, to some extent, with the other members of what later became known as WWII’s “Axis of Evil,” that included Benito Mussolini’s Italy, and Tojo Hideki’s Japan.
http://www.rense.com/general67/adlpol.htm
l
December 28th, 2007 at 7:19 pmWitch1: I hear ya! The course of apathy sounds quite beguiling at the moment with scandals erupting daily which further besmerch the Bush presidency. I share your sentiment more than you know although I try to remind myself constantly of the “half empty/half full” conundrum and how one’s personal perspective can shape not only their lives but the lives of those around them. In viewing what’s occurring through a spiritual lens, we know that it’s only when a person/country hits rock bottom, their nadir,that they are able to regroup, recover, and thrust forward with lessons well learned which will enable them to make the necessary course corrections from that point forward.
Each time there’s a new power abuse and barrier broken, it feels like a personal affront to us as a people, as a democracy and the accompanying feeling is one of utter disgust and anger. Since Bushco will be leaving office in one year, it’s time for us all to take that energy, despite it’s negative genesis, and reshape or remold it into working for us in a collectively positive way – certainly not condoning the wrongs which have occurred but definitely taking whatever steps are necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice.
It will be in the “bringing perpetrators to justice” (aka impeachment hearings) that much will be learned and decisions made as to appropriate punishment for the crimes. This is why this country ABSOLUTELY NEEDS to go through the motions of the impeachment hearing process right now. If nothing is accomplished beyond getting these crimes out into the open and learning the truth, then it will have been time well spent.
If nothing more occurs than it being a way for the american people to inform the rest of the world that we are not a nation of liars and lawless criminals, then it could be worth it’s weight in gold.
Keep your chin up, Witch1. Better days are just beyond the horizon!
December 28th, 2007 at 7:20 pmImpeach now: Zionists who have come before us – Prescott Bush and Herbert Walker??
December 28th, 2007 at 7:23 pmThese two clowns were cavorting (aiding and abetting/funding) the third reich for goodness sakes. I guess the apple never falls far from the tree!
December 28th, 2007 at 7:24 pmIt was the parliamentary election, not presidential, that the sentence was designed to shut him up for the duration. Big Time was clearly hoping that Howard would still be around to enforce the deal when he was released.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:25 pmZionism in the Age of Dictators sounds like a “must read”. I’ve just started The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy by Mearsheimer and Walt – incredible stuff.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:32 pmWant to know why Bhutto was assasinated? Here it is. http://www.dailypaul.com/node/17925 If you still think the war on terror is legitimate, you need to have your head checked!
December 28th, 2007 at 7:34 pmpart of the plea argreement, which, if violated, means he goes back to jail to serve the rest of the seven year sentence…
Comment by RUCerious
You really think the Australian government would allow the US to pick him up to take him back to Guantanamo. I DON’T THINK SO! Besides, that would be a shot heard around the world. US disappears prisoner who blew the whistle on their torture. I can see the headlines now.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:37 pm“He was told to remain silent about any alleged abuse he suffered while in custody.â€
December 28th, 2007 at 7:40 pmI would really like to know why, not in the far future, but now. And I would like to know who, how and why are these folks being asked to remain silent. And what if he does not remain silent… are they going to kill him? What the Huck?
Now their is a new President who isn’t under the control of the White House. The puppet Howard is out. Look for this man to go public and have the protection of the new President. As for me I’ll be emailing the new President and suggest this man tell the world so it wont happen to other innocent people.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:49 pmDon’t look for ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox aka Bush news to report it. Keep your eyes on the blog site and international news for that interview. This will end the question ” Does the US torture answer YES”.
Why would this man be told not to report torture if there was no torture. I hope the United Nations and other prisoners are watching this. My Christmas present would be for George W. Bush/Dick Cheney and their appointees to be charged with WAR CRIMES AND HUMAN RIGHTS CRIMES.
David Hicks should come to America as a free soul, take up sanctuary in a Christian church and sing like a bird.
Botch would be phu(ked!! Off to the hoosegow Botch!!
December 28th, 2007 at 7:51 pmOn the positive side – at least the dude has renounced his faith in Islam and is looking to help the environment. Doesn’t make up for the strained relations with Austrailia, the demolition of Habeus Corpus and the tarnishing of our image around the world – but it is a faint silver lining.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:55 pmThank’s Veritas……..I know…But if these ass’s don’t get going they will not ever be prosacuted…Their patriot act crap protect’s them from prosacution once out of office….Blessings.. Out till tomorrow.
December 28th, 2007 at 7:59 pmBrently: thanks for the Bhutto interview in which she casually mentions that Omar Sheikh killed Osama Bin Laden. Very, very interesting and heady stuff! I think we’re going to be hearing a lot of Omar Sheikh, as Mary said earlier in her post – absolutely! Now we’ll see who Omar Sheikh is tied to and it’s probably not going to be pretty.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:09 pmThe powers that be found a way to shut Bernie Ward up. The DOJ, his friends, family, enemies and all staff at KGO radio station knows he is innocent of exploiting children , but the DOJ is going after him as he broke the letter of the law.sign petition
It is not the action of KGO to take Bernie off the air, but Citadel Broadcasting the parent company of KGO. Ray Taliaferro the host that follows Bernie has changed… not talking too much on the evils of the Bush ad as he used to.
Rally at the SF Federal Building
Date: 01/22/2008
Time: 01:00 PM
info and map
December 28th, 2007 at 8:12 pmWitch1: Blessings to you, too and Happy New Year! People’s level of frustration that the criminals “appear” (operative word here: appear) to be getting away with all of the crimes is reaching a crescendo. I think people are simply holding their breath until Bush’s reign of terror is over. People I speak to, some Republicans in fact, are so embarrassed by what he’s done to this country that they may be some of the worst critics yet. I’ve brushed him and his ilk totally out of my mind at this point, when the television happens to be on and he appears, I either leave the room immediately or turn the damn tube off. He’s become repulsive to even watch at this point and to believe that this country was so duped by this liar and charlatan not once, but twice. I say “duped” because we all now know that he never was elected and stole both elections. The popular vote was indicative of the man who deserved to be elected president: Al Gore. And we all know how the Shrub gained a second term: the federal offenses committed by Kenneth Blackwell and the Operatives at Diebold. May they all rot in hell someday for their diabolical antics.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:13 pmDid I fail to mention the “perpetrators” of the first stolen election in Florida?? That distinction would go to Brother Jebbie who was governor at the time and his little concubine in Sarasota named Katherine Harris – you know the one with the bad set of implants.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:14 pmHad Enough: The hallmark of true fascism is ‘CONTROL OF THE MEDIA”/CONTROL OF THE MESSAGE. We’re falling fast and, if this country continues it’s sleepwalk, we will awaken to a country in which we, the people, have absolutely no rights left at all.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:16 pmOmar Sheikh is the guy who killed Daniel Pearl if I’m not mistaken. I think Bhutto’s claim he killed Bin Laden may be an error.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:26 pm“He had also considered allowing himself to be photographed while the statement was read, but that had also been ruled out yesterday as being too much for David, who is mentally fragile, has suffered from anxiety attacks and will take some time adjusting to life outside a confined prison cell.”
Yup, he was tortured.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/12/28/1198778704696.html?page=3
December 28th, 2007 at 8:30 pmEducate yourself a bit and then see how confident you are that there was no corruption involved from Bush family ties.
http://www.campaignwatch.org/more1.htm
December 28th, 2007 at 8:32 pmComment by Veritas
December 28th, 2007 at 8:33 pmI do believe Bernie would never remain silent on any matter unless he was forced to. He is that type of person – honest, stubborn. Bernie frequently mentioned Think Progress and I am hoping many here will show support whether it be signing the petition, donating or showing up at the rally. Other talk show hosts such as Peter B Collins and Mike Malloy have shown support along with SF newspapers. The child exploiter smear aimed at Bernie did not take as many of the neocons hoped.
Fairy Duster,
How much more does that family need to steal or swindle from our country before you begin to question their motives – and more importantly – their methods? Just curious.
December 28th, 2007 at 8:45 pmMy,my. Our trolls sure get “brave†when the mods have a day off. Typical behavior for cowardly vandals. I suppose they take candy from babies, spray-paint abandoned buildings, speed on deserted roads, and peep through windows too.
December 28th, 2007 at 9:14 pmFairy Duster has plenty of fairy dust, as all good fairies do. Definite republican, wide stance and all. is that you, larry craig? Hiding in your closet, sucking the flaccid cock of bushco? all the bravado and bravery of a non-enlisted rightard coward. All talk, no action, even with a fistful of 50s in Pelican Bay. so sad to be such a Fairy Duster. Another self-hater, and a typical weak wingnut America-hater as well.
December 28th, 2007 at 9:58 pmI think there’s lead in that fairy’s dust and it’s causing a lot of brain damage.
December 28th, 2007 at 10:07 pm“Now why would they tell him that if they hadn’t tortured him?”
They didn’t want him to talk about those famed steak tartar dishes they get. If people knew they were getting caviar and escargot people might just go out and bomb a federal building to get in.
December 29th, 2007 at 1:41 amThe level of stupidity on display here, seriously.
Comment by Kilo — December 29, 2007 @ 5:21 am
Yes you certainly are!
Since you didn’t understand the irony of what I said that makes you the dumbest phu(k on this thread!!!
December 29th, 2007 at 6:33 amHe is bound to be on his best behavior. Can you imagine the people covering every step this man takes just awaiting to snatch him off the street with some phoney story to justify his future disappearance.
December 29th, 2007 at 9:38 amHow much did the Australian government get paid for this?
December 29th, 2007 at 4:51 pmHicks better keep his part of the deal. He will be an invaluable witness at The Hague. Better not jeopardize this by having a nasty accident.
December 29th, 2007 at 6:09 pmI would suggest that David Hicks would be glad that he is no longer in the United States, “The Land of The Free” (what a joke). Held for 5 years with no charge. You Americans should be ashamed of where you come from. I live in Australia and it is my observation that the bulk of the community here resent the US for its’ foreign policies of the last 30 years.
December 29th, 2007 at 6:35 pmI wouldn’t be suprised if 9/11 was only the start…