Australia Done Spying On Ex-Gitmo Detainee

(AP)  Australian police said Thursday they will stop restricting the movements and communications of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee after he broke his long media silence to ask them to let him "get on with" his life.

If the restrictions are lifted, David Hicks will be a completely free man for the first time since he was captured by the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan in late 2001 and handed to U.S. troops invading to unseat the Taliban regime.

Hicks, a 33-year-old former Outback cowboy and kangaroo skinner turned Taliban foot soldier, has been subject to a control order since his release from prison in his home state of South Australia last December.

Under the order, Hicks must report to police three days a week, observe a curfew and is banned from using any telephone or Internet account not approved by police. It is due to expire next month.

Hicks released a 54-second video message to the public Thursday through a political lobby group opposed to Australia's toughened anti-terrorism laws, saying he feared police will ask for the control order to be extended for another year.

"I don't know what the future holds for me," Hicks says in the video, posted on the GetUp! group's Web site. "The only thing I do know is that until the control order is lifted, I will not be able to get on with my life."

Australian Federal Police initially said it would be inappropriate to comment on whether they were seeking an extension of the control order.

Hours later, it released a second statement. "Following extensive consultation with a number of agencies, the AFP has decided it will not be seeking a further control order in respect of Mr. Hicks." it said.

It was unclear if the government would allow Hicks to apply for a new passport or travel overseas.

Attorney General Robert McClelland was not immediately available for comment.

The Muslim convert spent 5½ years in captivity without trial at the U.S. military prison in Cuba before pleading guilty to supporting terrorism at a U.S. military tribunal in exchange for serving a nine-month sentence in Australia.

Under the plea bargain, Hicks admitted providing material support to al Qaeda. The deal prevented him from speaking to the media until March 2008.

But even after that date he has refused all media offers to tell his story. He said Thursday he must first recover from his years in captivity.

"Because I'm still recovering from that ordeal, I'm not yet ready to fully explain what happened or why," he says. "One day, I will tell Australia that story, but I am not at that point yet."

Terry Hicks said his son was happy he "forced the situation" with his public appeal.

David Hicks was continuing psychiatric treatment for a post-traumatic stress disorder and had a part-time job in "environmental-type work," his father said.

Terry Hicks said his son had no plans to renew his passport.

Since Hicks' guilty plea, only two Guantanamo Bay detainees have been convicted on terrorism charges.

Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's media specialist Ali Hamza al-Bahlulto was sentenced this month to life in prison. Bin Laden driver Salim Hamdan was convicted in August and sentenced to 5½ years in prison.

[downsteamjim]

Hicks was in Afghanistan to work on his tan and play a little beach volley ball.

[cdfoxtrot5]

YBotherAtAll, What exactly did he do again? In American territory, like Gitmo you are innocent until proven guilty. I don''''t know how they do it in Austrailia.

Posted by impeach___w

Er, no, not quite. At Gitmo, everyone is presumed guilty. And there''s no opportunity to challenge that. That''s the problem. And that''s the real reason they were held there - it''s outside the jurisdiction of US courts, where someone normally has a right to a fair trial. At Gitmo, there''s no right to ANYTHING. This is a shameful time in US history, supporting this kind of place that would do Stalin proud.

[crescentgirl]

YBotherAtAll, I think you need a reality check. I think you probably don''t know anything about Muslims or Islam. I think you need to open your mind and educate yourself before commenting on something you don''t know. And as far as David Hicks goes, he spent 5 1/2 yrs in capitivity at Gitmo without due process or a trial. At the end of that time, he was offered the only way out of capitivity and that was to plead guilty himself (admit to something he didn''t do) because the gov''t had no evidence against him. So, he did what any sane person would do in his situation and did whatever it was that would get him out of that pergatory. I hope these people finally leave him alone and he is able to get back to some normalcy in his life...after what he''s been through...he at least deserves that much.

[observer2020]

In American territory, like Gitmo you are innocent until proven guilty. Posted by impeach___w

This is a very nice idea...however, I''ve never heard such a crock! You are definitely guilty until proven innocent in America.

[ybotheratall]

Yeah, like ending the "control order" is going to prevent them from keeping an eye on him. I hope he''s not THAT naive'' to think so.

He''s lucky he didn''t get fried for what he did. He should get a Casino Royale face lift. Can you imagine being him? Oh, so what do you do? "Oh I''m an ex-Taliban. I used to help the people who rape and murder innocent women and oppress entire groups of people. It''s only after I converted and became a Muslim that I started my violent life". Muslims are dangerous people.

[babooph]

I guess he heard about Joan of Arc,& made the smart move.

[babooph]

Stay in prison for life,or "confess" & go home-a little torture along the way-history has returned to the"INQUISITION "-GOD TOLD BUSH TO DO IT !!!