Guantanamo detainee sort of free

“CONVICTED terrorism supporter David Hicks was in hiding last night after walking from Yatala prison without apologising for his crimes.” The Australian

Trust a Rupert Murdoch rag to put the boot in as soon as Hicks is finally, more or less, released from custody. Under strict control order conditions, Hicks has to be fingerprinted by South Australian Police within 24 hours of his release.

He also must abide by a midnight to 6am curfew and is banned from using telephones or internet servers not pre-approved by Australian Federal Police. He must also attend an Adelaide police station three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Having ensured this dubious liberty the Guantanamo apologists now want Hicks to risk breaking plea bargain conditions to satisfy their morbid support for the now discredited anti-terrorist regime.

"As part of my conditions of release from Guantanamo Bay, I agreed not to speak to the media on a range of issues before March 30, 2008. It's my intention to honour this agreement as I don't want to do anything that might result in my return there. So for now, I will limit what I have to say. I will say more at a later time.''

The truth is Hicks made the most minimal guilty plea to escape the place, a plea of supporting terrorism. He might well be waiting now for the opportunity to repudiate that plea rather than apologise for something for which he is not guilty.

On the other hand he has made it clear he just wants to get on with life, and might avoid comments altogether. Either way he is legally bound, for now, to make no comment on the issue. I would like to see a book come out of this, but under Australian law he can’t profit from it.

Finally, he did say in a statement that he recognised "the huge debt of gratitude that I owe the Australian public for getting me home'. I will not forget or let you down,'' he said. He also thanked his lawyers, various politicians and organisations that had lobbied for his fair treatment.