Posted on 04/01/2007 5:11:35 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
SUPPORTERS of David Hicks should remember he is an admitted terrorist supporter who fought against his countrymen, Treasurer Peter Costello says.
Mr Costello's comments came as Hicks' lawyers said their client will attempt to live a normal existence on his return to Australia and release from jail.
Hicks, who spent five years in a US military prison after he was captured in Afghanistan in late 2001, pleaded guilty to a charge of giving material support to terrorism last week.
Under a plea deal negotiated between Hicks' lawyers and the US military commission, he will be returned to Australia from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and will serve just nine months in an Adelaide prison before being set free.
Hicks has also agreed not to speak to the media for one year or to allege he was mistreated while in detention.
Hicks' military lawyer Major Michael Mori said today the paperwork for his client's return to Australia could be completed by the end of the week.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
L
In years goneby, he wouldn't be...
That'll give his agent plenty of time to arrange talk show and college appearances, write his biography, etc.
You may be being optimistic re the headline "Next Aussie PM...etc" - From where I'm sitting, the Liberals may join the Spanish, the Italians and soon Blair in falling by the wayside.
Also, even if Hicks can't officially repeat the allegations for now there are two key possibilities:
A - Everyone else will
B - He does do it, breaching the terms of the agreement. Howard prosecuting him would be political suicide on this.
Howard has typically been behind in the polls early in each election year, only to win the election at the end of the year. He hasn't been this far behind before, but he also has a larger buffer in Parliament than he has had in the past.
Winning a fifth Australian election is a big ask, but it's way too early to be pessimistic about his chances. If things don't turn around soon after the budget, then it starts to be time to worry.
And Hicks will be in a high security prison until after the election. Once he is out, it may be difficult to stop him talking, but he won't be doing much before the election.
And while some people will try and speak for him, the Labor opposition won't be among them. Labor was willing to push very hard for a 'fair trial' for an Australian citizen who hadn't yet been convicted of any crime, but they will not be pushing hard for a convicted, confessed terrorist.
Hicks is lucky that he has been released.He should repent and lead a normal free life without any trace of terrorist acts.
The latest Newspoll might indicate the turn-around has already begun...
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