SA: Hicks lawyer expects to be in Cuba before Christmas

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2003
SA: Hicks lawyer expects to be in Cuba before Christmas

By Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Dec 4 AAP - The Australian lawyer of terror suspect David Hicks expects to
travel to Cuba before Christmas following a decision to appoint a military lawyer for
the Adelaide man.

The US Defence Department issued a brief statement today which said Marine Corps Major
Michael Mori would represent Hicks at the military tribunal to be held at Guantanamo Bay.

However, the Australian is still to be charged and a final decision on whether or not
the US proceeds against him will fall to Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

Adelaide lawyer Stephen Kenny said he now believed charges against Hicks were not far away.

But Mr Kenny said he had not yet received any documentation regarding Major Mori's appointment.

He said he had some discussions with Major Mori recently and as far back as June or
July last year and now hoped to be in Cuba as an adviser to Hicks before Christmas.

"I think that's the very least they can do," Mr Kenny said.

"I've had some discussions about getting into Cuba before Christmas.

"I'm just not in a position to finalise when and there are a number of things that
need to be done."

The Pentagon said Major Mori would travel to Guantanamo Bay soon to meet with Hicks
and inform him of the tribunal rules, but gave no specific date for the trip.

Mr Kenny said if Hicks did go to trial the defence team was a long way behind the prosecution
and the preparation of his case would take some time.

"The important thing for us is that we get someone in to see David as soon as possible," he said.

"David is currently not in the general prison population.

"He was designated as one of those fit for trial in July this year and from that time
he has been in solitary confinement.

"Apparently, for those six people they designated they built separate huts on the base
and within those huts is a cage and within that cage resides one prisoner."

Last week the United States and Australia announced they had reached an agreement on
how Hicks would be tried before a US military tribunal and Australian officials said they
were satisfied Hicks would get a fair trial.

US officials assured Australia that Hicks would not face the death penalty and would
not have his conversations with his lawyer monitored by American troops.

The Bush administration also has agreed to allow terrorism suspects like Hicks to have
lawyers from their home countries act as advisers during any trial.

Hicks was captured fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

AAP tjd/jlw

KEYWORD: US GUANTANAMO KENNY

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