Well who didn’t see THIS coming.
Following David Hicks successful appeal against the US Government, in which his Alford plea regarding “providing material support for terrorism” – done under duress – was completely overturned and his name fully cleared, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has completely ruled out offering a Governmental apology to Hicks for the five and a half years he spent wrongfully incarcerated in the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison facility.
Speaking to media in Launceston today, Abbott very firmly stated that apologising is not an option, following calls from Hicks’ father Terry to do just that.
“He was up to no good on his own admission,” Abbott stated of the confession that the US Government now admits was made under extreme pressure and held absolutely no water.
“Look, I’m not in the business of apologising for the actions that Australian governments take to protect our country. Not now, not ever.“
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten offered a slightly more pragmatic view of things, telling reporters in Melbourne, “There is no doubt on one hand David Hicks was probably foolish to get caught up in that Afghanistan conflict but clearly there has been an injustice done to him. The American courts have finally established that.“
“We can’t control what American military courts do, but I do think that the Australian Government needs to examine, did they really do all they could to ensure injustice didn’t occur and bring David Hicks back to Australia.“
But meanwhile Hicks himself is “not surprised” the Government is choosing to refuse an apology. But on the other hand he simply doesn’t care anymore, “I’m too defeated to have any anger. I’m just worn out.“
Whilst he won’t be seeking any compensation from the Government for the five and a half years of physical and mental torture he suffered whilst incarcerated at the facility, he states that the Government should, at the very least, pay for his medical bills.
“It is becoming an expensive exercise to fix myself from torture.”
“I am looking forward to getting on with my life now that my name has been cleared.”
Photo: Cameron Spencer via Getty Images.
