Fed: Father of terror suspect says tape doesn't help
CANBERRA, Aug 4 AAP - The latest al-Qaeda tape could actually prejudice the trialsof terror suspects including Australian David Hicks, his father said today.
Terry Hicks, whose son David was captured in Afghanistan in November 2001, said thetape, broadcast on Arabic television at the weekend, painted all the detainees as al-Qaedamembers.
The purported audio tape by Ayman al-Zawahri, regarded as the deputy to Osama Bin Laden,warned the United States it would pay a high price if it harmed any of the detainees itis holding at its Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba.
David Hicks and another Australian, Mamdouh Habib, have been detained at GuantanamoBay for almost two years and Hicks has been declared eligible to face trial before a USmilitary tribunal.
Mr Hicks said of the tape: "It could be detrimental against not only David but allof the detainees that are going to be coming up for these military tribunals.
"They are probably saying `oh yes, they are all al-Qaeda' which is not right.
"They don't have the right to say that they will avenge anyone's death penalties. Thatis not right.
"They are saying everyone in Guantanamo Bay is guilty of being with al-Qaeda and thatis not right."
Supporters of foreign detainees fear they will be denied a fair trial by the US military.
Australian and British officials visited Washington last month to discuss forthcomingtrials involving their citizens and Pentagon chief counsel William J. Haines will reportedlyvisit London.
Mr Hicks said Mr Haines should also come to Canberra.
"The English are putting a lot more pressure on the Americans than what the Australiangovernment is," he said.
"It is good that someone from America is going to England. Someone from America shouldbe coming to Australia to talk about it here.
"Australia hasn't put any pressure on at all."
AAP mb/sp
KEYWORD: HICKS
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