Reply #17: Come clean on Habib: Labor

[struggle4progress]

<snip> Mr Habib's American lawyer, Joe Margulies, said an Australian consular official stood by and watched while an American agent stood on Mr Habib's neck and had his photograph taken. <snip>

Ms Roxon said in Melbourne today that Mr Ruddock could not continue to refer to Mr Habib as a suspect in the September 11 attacks in the United States without producing evidence or mounting a case against him. <snip>

"The Government of the US had complete access to Mr Habib... and they have come to the view that they can't charge him, so if the Australian Government has evidence of Mr Habib they need to come forward with it." <snip>

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,11919728%5E1702,00.html

<edit:>

Habib family seeks advice on suing govt

Mamdouh Habib's family would consider suing the federal government for defamation, his lawyer has said. <snip>

Mr Habib, who has been in detention for more than three years, had been accused of aiding the al-Qaeda terrorist network but was never charged by the United States.

The federal government has said that although Mr Habib cannot be charged retrospectively, he would remain a "person of interest".

On Wednesday his lawyer Stephen Hopper said there was no substance in the case against Habib but imputations by the federal government that Mr Habib was still an "enemy combatant" were defamatory. <snip>

http://seven.com.au/news/nationalnews/152232


Reveal terms of deal: Amnesty

<snip> "Amnesty International calls on Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to give details on the apparent guarantees that the Australian Government has made to the US administration to secure Mamdouh Habib's release," the human rights group said.

Amnesty also renewed its calls for the Government to investigate claims Mr Habib and fellow Australian detainee David Hicks were tortured at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. <snip>

Governments which receive their nationals back from Guantanamo Bay must abide fully with their international obligations," Amnesty said.

"Governments should ensure that all claims of torture and ill-treatment made by such returnees are fully investigated. <snip>

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11919659%5E421,00.html