Chomsky signs on for justice

Noam Chomsky has signed the Justice for Jack campaign petition which calls on the Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock and Director of Public Prosecutions to "drop any charges reliant on records of interviews conducted under duress without the presence of a lawyer."

In a short statement he said, "The actions of the Australian government in pursuing suggest that they are willing to trample on basic civil and human rights in the name of the 'war on terror'. Australians should be alarmed."

For five months in 2003, Jack Thomas was held in a Pakistan military prison where he was tortured by the CIA and the Pakistan Secret Service. Jack was returned to Australia without being charged. Seventeen months later he was arrested on November 18, 2004 by Australian Federal Police and charged with receiving funds from a terrorist organisation, providing support to a terrorist organisation and traveling on a false passport.

Jack was held for three months in solitary confinement in Barwon Prison, near Gellong Victoria in conditions that Liberty Victoria say were in breach of his human rights. Fortunately, Jack was released on bail on February 15. Since his re-incarceration, Jack has been receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive anxiety.

Jack's family and the justice for Jack campaign believe that the case against Jack is a political exercise of the Australian government who are desperate to set precedents and make examples of people, regardless of whether they pose an actual threat to society, in their so-called "war on terror".

If convicted Jack faces a possible sentence of 55 years and it would set a precedent which may see others deprived of their right a lawyer or charged using evidence obtained under torture.

To protect these rights, we are seeking the broadest possible support for our campaign, so if you are concerned about the erosion of our civil liberties and the political victimisation of people like my brother Jack, download the petition from our website and send them in to:

Justice for Jack Campaign, c/- 1/ 85 Paisley St , Footscray 3011 VIC, Australia.

Court should be told Gov't using 'Jack'!

A Melbourne court should have been told a man accused of working for Al Qaeda is being used by the fascist Australian Government as a pawn in their leverage to win support for their illegal and degrading activities.

By Les Thomas posted 28 April 05

Related:

If he'd been given his passport he'd be a free man
A Sydney man [scapegoat in the Coalition of the Killings resource wars in the Middle East] has been found not guilty of preparing for a terrorist attack on a Commonwealth building [ruling class propaganda.]

Trial by unrelated video clips
Should alleged terrorist suspects [scapegoats for the resource wars in the Middle East] be shown on television side-by side-'terrorist training camp film clips' gathered by the government and media archives to give the wrong impression of accused people facing trial?

Accused Australian Citizen 'denied passport in 2002'?
AN AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN who was refused a passport by DFAT in mid-2002 became frustrated at the government for treating him differently.

Court should be told Gov't using 'Jack'!
A Melbourne court should have been told a man accused of working for Al Qaeda is being used by the fascist Australian Government as a pawn in their leverage to win support for their illegal and degrading activities.

Noble Cause Torture?
AUSTRALIA: The Labor Party has decided not to support a Senate inquiry into new allegations made by Mamdouh Habib that the Australian Government cooperated with Egyptian intelligence authorities who he insists tortured him.

New account adds weight to interrogation claims
Australia/Cuba/Iraq: The fascist Federal Government is under further pressure today because Australians were involved in the interrogation of tortured Iraqi prisoners.

Australian senate accused govt of war crimes
Did you hear the one about David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib having a Barbeque in Afghanistan with Bin Laden? Yeah it was reported on Channel Seven's Sunrise this morning! But they don't know if it was a sheep or a goat, but sources say it was most likely a goat.

DPP to appeal innocent man's bail
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will seek to have an innocent Melbourne man Joseph 'Jack' Thomas, returned to isolation in custody?

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed
The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Innocent witch verballed by federal fascists!
Shame on the federal fascists. The wicked old witch is dead! A Melbourne Magistrates Court has heard that a 31-year-old innocent Victorian man was facing terrorism charges?

Lawyer blames police for Habib break-in
John HoWARd, Alexander Downer, Phillip Ruddock, Robert Hill, to name just a few....HOW DO YOU PLEAD?

No reason for Habib to sell story: Beazley?
Federal Agreement Leader Kim Beazley is a well-paid loser. A loser who supposed to be defending our democratic rights by standing up to the HoWARd Government's fascism.

Australia: a presumption of guilt......
KAREN PERCY: Two of Australia's leading barristers have seized on the return of Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mamdouh Habib, to launch an unprecedented attack on the Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock.

Aust Community criticises Govt for 'crimes'!
Australia: The Law Council of Australia is warning that the Federal Government must learn from its mistakes over Guantanamo Bay? Now that's a mistake!

Australian Govt Guilty of Crimes: Community
Australia: The community says federal fascists who allowed the torture of its citizenry including Mamdouh Habib may be arrested when the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal address the War Crimes Indictment set out by the community.

What they did to Habib
Mamdouh Habib was the victim of atrocities fit for a concentration camp, including being tied to the ground while a prostitute menstruated on him, his lawyer said yesterday.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

There is no justification for torture
In the weeks since the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison were revealed, evidence continues to seep out of similar mistreatment of prisoners in other US military detention centers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.

Howard rejects spy agency overhaul
Prime Minister John Howard has played down the need for a major overhaul of Australia's spy agencies as a result of an inquiry by former intelligence officer Phillip Flood.

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed
The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Innocent witch verballed by federal fascists!
Shame on the federal fascists. The wicked old witch is dead! A Melbourne Magistrates Court has heard that a 31-year-old innocent Victorian man was facing terrorism charges?

Innocent Victorian man held in custody for Xmas?!
Lawyers have argued the case against Mr Thomas was weak and based on a statement he made in Pakistan without a lawyer present and therefore unlawful.

Innocent Melbourne man makes second bail bid
Rubish, just plain propaganda, fear-mongering, draconian nonsence from the HoWARd goverment's war agenda stink tank.

MPs to review spy agency powers
Australian spy agency ASIO'S controversial powers to detain and question suspected terrorists [scapegoats for HoWARd's resource wars] will be re-examined by a parliamentary committee. Parliament passed the new counter-terrorism powers in July last year.

Goulburn Jail breaches UN standards
NSW: Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has called on Justice Minister John Hatzistergos to bring Goulburn Jail's Maximum Security Wing into line with United Nations standards, after a prison inmate's covert survey of his fellow inmates revealed problems with rehabilitation programs and basic amenities.

Lodhi toilet paper: crap!
He is facing nine charges and is accused of planning a major terrorist attack on Sydney defence sites and the electricity grid using downloads off the internet and having 100 rolls of toilet paper to wipe his arse after low level bombs and farts.

Brain injury for suspicion 'inhumane'
Faheem Khalid Lodhi refused bail by a Sydney court and remanded until June in hell at the (HARM-U) High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn. While he is in there he will receive a brain injury and is likely to self-harm due to the gross violation of living standards.

Ul-Haque 'the man who wants to become a doctor'
The taskforce is investigating French man Willie Brigitte, who was tipped back home for a visa breach. Allegedly the Un-Australian Newspaper claimed he also attended training camps before his six-month stay in Sydney. Police have not alleged Mr Ul-Haque knew Brigitte. The Un-Australian just mentioned it because they are 'you guessed it' up John Howard's butt and they like the USA want 'you guessed it' our Federal Government. Well Yankee go home!

Daily Terror rolled-over for Howard's war games
The DAILY TERROR is suspected of being the source of the news this morning that Willie Brigitte is a terrorist and that Sydney faces a bomb attack.

Ruddock foreshadows new terrorism laws
The new laws will allow police to access emails and mobile phone SMS messages, enable wider use of surveillance devices, and protect sensitive national security information during terrorism trials.

Community seeks more power to interrogate ASIO suspects
Greens Senator Bob Brown does not think increased police powers are necessary. "We have enormous powers for surveillance, apprehension or punishment of people who are engaged in or intending to engage in or thinking about being engaged in terrorist acts in this country," he said.

Greens warn of 'politicised' terror trials
AUSTRALIA/CUBA?: The Australian Greens say they are concerned that new anti-terrorism laws being debated in the Senate allow for the "political black-banning" of defence lawyers at terrorism trials.

Lawyer claims Al Qaeda suspect's evidence tainted!
Before returning to Australia last year, Thomas was arrested and held in custody for five months by Pakistani authorities before being released without charge.

Man terrorised by ASIO remanded in 'AA' isolation!
A Victorian man has been remanded in custody after being charged with terrorism offences, including having links to Al Qaeda?

Melbourne man charged over ASIO links
ASIO a know Australian terrorist organization is verballing the community again...about allegations that a man, while living overseas, received funds from Al Qaeda and had close association with the members of the terrorist group.

DING DONG! THE WITCH IS DEAD
A court has been told Joseph Thomas is a sleeper? ZZZ! Melbourne Australia: A court has been told that Osama bin Laden asked a Melbourne man to become a "sleeper" in Australia before undertaking activities for the Al Qaeda network? Munchkins: "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead."

AFP: The unlikely CRIMINAL
It was born of a bombing and it made its name after a far more devastating act of terrorism. But for most of the 25 years in between, little was known about the Australian Federal Police force or the work it did.

Mamdouh Habib: Taunted and Tortured!
Four Corners [Walls]: Terrorist - or Taunted by the Australian Defence Force who sacked him as a cleaning contractor? Who is Mamdouh Habib? And why was he harassed by the Australian Federal Police? Then tagged and labelled as a spy? Why was he vilified by the community? When he fled to Pakistan how did he end up being tortured in Egypt? And how did he end up at Guantanamo prison camp reserved for the men America calls "the worst of the worst.

He was an undercover agent for the blues
He was my journalist, he was working undercover. The fellow knew all of the moves.... He really had me romping, bare footing stomping. He just kept igniting my fuse....

Up there Khasali: Innocent man new bail laws
The New South Wales Supreme Court has asked innocent man Bilal Khazal to increase to amount of surety offered, before the bail is formally continued.

HEY! BIG BROTHER? LET INNOCENT PEOPLE GO!
Young men terrorised, tortured, and threatened with charges for no crime by Australia mate the lucky country. Lucky if you're not used for Howard's FEDERAL ELECTION and George Dubya's WAR ON LIBERTY! Who shot liberty? IGNORANCE!

Keelty foresees more terrorism
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty says terrorist groups will continue to find new ways to threaten countries.

Islamic movement denies links to Al Qaeda
The Islamic Youth Movement has denied having any links to Al Qaeda and says it is considering legal action against the Four Corners program. In a statement released early this morning, the group rejects allegations it is helping coordinate any kind of terrorist network inside Australia and says it is being unfairly targeted.

2nd Renaissance -10 The War on Witches [150]
In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued a Papal Bull that became the rationale for establishing the Inquisition in Germany. The following excerpt from the Bull sets out the official view of the danger of witches to the community. The Bull and this this passage provided the sole excuse for the torture and cruel executions that were, ultimately, to be the fate of up to fifty percent of the population of some villages.

Australian jailed in Lebanon, Ruddock hanging out!

Ruddock and Carr make a big deal out of a military court's findings in Lebanon where evidence is obtained under duress?

Fascist Federal Attorney Phillip Ruddock has his tongue hanging out like a dog on heat because of the military court's decision in Lebanon where a Beruit court has jailed Saleh Jamal on terrorism charges allegedly taken while under duress?

But why does this mean so much to Ruddock? Because Ruddock, ASIO, the AFP and Bob Carr are desperate to find some evidence to prove that there is a link to Bilal Khazal, and Terror.

New South Wales Premier Bob Carr says a man charged over a shooting at a Sydney police station will be returned to Australia once he is released from jail in Lebanon.

Carr's desperate to prove that Saleh Jamal shot at the police station in Lakemba but the community is desperate to find out (if he did) why he did it? At that time the NSW police had set up War Lord like activities in Sydney's South West including Cabramatta.

Bilal Khazal, who has been charged with facilitating terrorism, was granted bail and will face a Sydney committal hearing in June? But like all the rest of those people held in "AA" isolation with the worst of the worst convicted Ruddock and his agencies have no concrete evidence unless it has relied on International findings in Military Court's or Third World Countries where evidence simply cannot be relied upon.

A court in Beruit has jailed Saleh Jamal for five years with hard labour for allegedly plotting subversive activity with individuals in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps?

He was arrested in Beirut but did Phillip Ruddock's links to Lebanon ensure he was charged there? Could he have influenced the decision made by the authorities? You Bet!

Pro-Government version: "He was arrested in Beirut and initially charged there with having links to Al Qaeda and for involvement in a bombing in Damascus in 2004, but those charges were dropped."?

In Australia, he is accused of involvement in a drive-by shooting at the Lakemba police station in New South Wales in 1998. But that doesn't mean he was guilty! He fled Australia on a false passport while on bail, but wouldn't you if you were a Muslim living in Australian in the context of the vilification and racism in this country? And if he were innocent and thought he was being set-up for a noble cause?

Carr says even though there is not a formal extradition treaty in place, arrangements have been made for Jamal to be returned to Sydney once he has served his sentence in Lebanon.

Perhaps Bob Carr should come clean on his real motive! Like the sensationalism of terror to promote his draconian Terrorism (Police Powers) Act 2002.

Carr: "I've been advised that Interpol has alerted the Lebanese authorities to the outstanding issues in Australia," Mr Carr said. "On his return to Australia, New South Wales police will present evidence to the courts alleging his involvement in the shooting of the Lakemba police station."

So that the feds can then go on and claim that Bilal Khazal is a terrorist even if the evidence linked to him is false and misleading! Right Bob?

In other developments:

Khazal jailed in Lebanon, bailed in Sydney?

Fascist Federal Attorney Phillip Ruddock has his tongue hanging out like a dog on heat because of the military court's decision in Lebanon where a Beruit court has jailed Saleh Jamal on terrorism charges allegedly taken while under duress?

Here we go again!

And Bilal Khazal, who has been charged with facilitating terrorism, was granted bail not 'awarded bail ' like he's won the lottery purported by HoWARd's ABC and Pro-Government Media and will face a Sydney committal hearing in June.

Up there Khasali: Innocent man new bail laws

The New South Wales Supreme Court has asked innocent man Bilal Khazal to increase to amount of surety offered, before the bail is formally continued.

ABC: "But he was today sentenced by a Beruit court to 15 years jail, without having to appear on charges of arranging false documents for another Australian who has been jailed in Lebanon."

Because Ruddock, ASIO, the AFP and Bob Carr are desperate to find some evidence to prove that there is a link to Bilal Khazal, and Terror.

Ruddock says Mr Khazal will not be extradited until he has faced an Australian court.

"There has been a request by Lebanese authorities for his extradition, that's still being processed," he said.

"But obviously, in the meantime, him being the subject of charges here, then he would not be free to be extradited."

By Propaganda Monster 25 February 05

Related:

Australia owes Habib nothing: Beazley?
Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says if Mamdouh Habib is entitled to any compensation for his detention and alleged torture it cannot come from the Australian Government.

New account adds weight to interrogation claims
Australia/Cuba/Iraq: The fascist Federal Government is under further pressure today because Australians were involved in the interrogation of tortured Iraqi prisoners.

UP, UP AND AWAY WITH JA THE FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY WAY...
Channel Ten reported yesterday that 80 per cent of its viewers say Mamdouh Habib is guilty of being a witch in a flawed opinion poll taken by the station.

Habib sacks psychiatrist over torture comments
A leading psychiatrist has been dismissed from Mamdouh Habib's legal team after publicly backing Mr Habib's claims that he was tortured while in detention at Guantanamao Bay and in the Middle East.

Australian senate accused govt of war crimes
Did you hear the one about David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib having a Barbeque in Afghanistan with Bin Laden? Yeah it was reported on Channel Seven's Sunrise this morning! But they don't know if it was a sheep or a goat, but sources say it was most likely a goat.

DPP to appeal innocent man's bail
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will seek to have an innocent Melbourne man Joseph 'Jack' Thomas, returned to isolation in custody?

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed
The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Federal Police discounted Habib torture?
Mick Keelty says Habib told ASIO and AFP officers during three separate interviews that he had been tortured.

Innocent witch verballed by federal fascists!
Shame on the federal fascists. The wicked old witch is dead! A Melbourne Magistrates Court has heard that a 31-year-old innocent Victorian man was facing terrorism charges?

Lawyer blames police for Habib break-in
John HoWARd, Alexander Downer, Phillip Ruddock, Robert Hill, to name just a few....HOW DO YOU PLEAD?

No reason for Habib to sell story: Beazley?
Federal Agreement Leader Kim Beazley is a well-paid loser. A loser who supposed to be defending our democratic rights by standing up to the HoWARd Government's fascism.

Habib plans tribunal fight for passport
Former Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib will go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in a bid to win back his Australian passport.

Australia: a presumption of guilt......
KAREN PERCY: Two of Australia's leading barristers have seized on the return of Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mamdouh Habib, to launch an unprecedented attack on the Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock.

Aust Community criticises Govt for 'crimes'!
Australia: The Law Council of Australia is warning that the Federal Government must learn from its mistakes over Guantanamo Bay? Now that's a mistake!

Australian Govt Guilty of Crimes: Community
Australia: The community says federal fascists who allowed the torture of its citizenry including Mamdouh Habib may be arrested when the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal address the War Crimes Indictment set out by the community.

What they did to Habib
Mamdouh Habib was the victim of atrocities fit for a concentration camp, including being tied to the ground while a prostitute menstruated on him, his lawyer said yesterday.

Govt accused of delaying Habib's repatriation
The Australian lawyer for Guantanamo Bay detainee Mamdouh Habib says his client's repatriation is being delayed by the Federal Government.

US judge dismisses? Guantanamo legal challenge
A US federal judge has dismissed the cases of seven Guantanamo Bay prisoners who sought to challenge the lawfulness of their continued detention?

US 'landlord' slams! Guantanamo 'law violations'
Cuba has demanded that the United States cease its "criminal conduct" in abusing prisoners held at the base it illegally occupies on Cuba's south-eastern tip, saying procedures at Guantanamo violate international law.

FBI emails reveal Guantanamo abuse
In memos over a two year period FBI agents said they witnessed the use of torture techniques, which included the use of dogs, prisoners being shackled to the floor in foetal positions for up to 24 hours, left without food and water, left to defecate upon themselves.

Australia Sells Its Citizens Short
Australian citizens, Mamdouth Habib and David Hicks have been illegally incarcerated in the Guantanamo Bay facility established by the US military as part of the War on Terror.

Downer won't press US for 'torture' report?
The Australian Government says it has tried and failed so far to get a copy of a report by the International Red Cross which claims psychological and physical coercion of detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba?

UK minister criticises US over Guantanamo!
UK: Washington's policy on the legal status of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba is unacceptable, a senior British minister said.

Lawyers hail 'unlawful' ruling in Guantanamo trial
Human rights groups and lawyers for Guantanamo detainees have welcomed a US federal judge's ruling which halted as unlawful the military tribunal trial of a Guantanamo prisoner accused of being Osama bin Laden's bodyguard and driver.

Torture, the British way
Great to be British, isn't it? Time was, we were really uptight, but now we can talk about anything - sex, religion, politics. No matter how personal and complex the subject, we'll discuss it with Richard and Judy, or slap our private Polaroids of it on our websites. Which leaves me puzzled about our silence, even shyness, over this whole torture thing.

US secretly moved prisoners out of Iraq for questioning: report
The CIA has secretly transferred detainees out of Iraq for interrogation after asking the US Justice Department to write a memo justifying the practice, which violates the Geneva Conventions.

Pentagon dumps Guantanamo tribunal officers
The Pentagon has dumped three members of a military tribunal that will hear the trials of Guantanamo prisoners, including Australian David Hicks, but kept the presiding officer despite challenges to his impartiality.

Guantanamo detainees win right for private meetings
In a defeat for the US Government, a federal judge has ruled that three prisoners held at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba can meet with their attorneys in private. In a defeat.

Lawyers complain about Guantanamo trials
US: Lawyers for 63 detainees at the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have complained before a US federal court at the slow pace their cases are being handled by authorities.

Judge orders US to release Guantanamo records
The United States Government must release documents within 30 days relating to the treatment of prisoners held at American overseas detention centres, including Guantanamo Bay and Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, a US federal judge ordered.

Bush team 'knew of abuse' at Guantanamo
Evidence of prisoner abuse and possible war crimes at Guantanamo Bay reached the highest levels of the Bush administration as early as autumn 2002, but Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, chose to do nothing about it, according to a new investigation.

Hicks, Habib denied a fair go: Amnesty
The secretary-general of Amnesty International has criticised the Federal Government's treatment of the two Australians detained at Guantanamo Bay.

Abu Ghraib inquiry slams Aust Government
A US inquiry into the Iraqi prison abuse scandal has been highly critical of Australian, Major George O'Kane, for glossing over early warnings about the treatment of detainees.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

Habib's call renews welfare concerns
Waiting: Maha Habib has spoken to her husband for the first time in two-and-a-half years.

Hicks, Habib denied natural justice: Liberal MP
A federal Liberal MP has accused the Government of not doing enough to secure a fair trial for Guantanamo Bay detainees, David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib.

Guantanamo abuse claims prompt new inquiry calls
New claims of abuse at Guantanamo Bay Cuba have prompted fresh calls for an Australian inquiry into the treatment of detainees David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib.

Mamdouh Habib: Taunted and Tortured!
Habib came to ASIO's notice when he fell out with the ADF obviously someone had it in for Mamdouh and the ADF tipped off ASIO and the AFP to taunt him. By the sounds of it he was declared a wog. That's Aussie slang for get the bastard he's not one of ours and we can discriminate against him he is an easy target. Aussie race hate!

Habib to face US military trial
The United States Government has given the go-ahead for the Australian Guantanamo Bay inmate, Mamdouh Habib, to go to trial for being innocent. Mr Habib could now be granted access to a military and civilian legal team.

US tortured Habib in Egypt: report
Australian terror suspect Mamdoub Habib was allegedly tortured in Egypt before being sent to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, according to the Pakistani Government.

There is no justification for torture
In the weeks since the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison were revealed, evidence continues to seep out of similar mistreatment of prisoners in other US military detention centers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.

US lawyers demand access to Habib
Lawyers for Guantanamo Bay detainees, including Mamdouh Habib, have written to United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld demanding access to the men.

Guantanamo prisoners may be moved to US soil
The US authorities may move hundreds of prisoners from their controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba to the United States following new Supreme Court rulings, the Los Angeles Times has reported.

Howard rejects spy agency overhaul
Prime Minister John Howard has played down the need for a major overhaul of Australia's spy agencies as a result of an inquiry by former intelligence officer Phillip Flood.

Govt urged to seek civil lawyer for Habib
The Law Council of Australia has called for the Federal Government to ensure Guantanamo Bay inmate Mamdouh Habib has access to a civil lawyer.

Hicks and Habib in the Melting Pot
Australia: The United States has brought three criminal charges against Australian David Hicks, accusing him of conspiracy to commit war crimes, attempted murder and aiding the enemy, the Pentagon has said.

Rumsfeld had approved abuse
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorised hoods, the stripping of prisoners and the use of dogs to terrify inmates at Guantanamo Bay almost two years ago, documents released yesterday revealed.

How much is that doggy in the prison? Woof woof!
Did the Iraqi prisoner's get their rations while they were treated like chums?

Failure to condemn prison abuse risks lives: Kenny
The Prime Minister is morally bankrupt stay "alert and alarmed"

Prisoner's identity concealed to prevent Red Cross access
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, acting at the request of the CIA, ordered that a suspected Iraqi insurgent leader be detained off the books to conceal his identity from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Pentagon has confirmed.

US has secret prisons: rights group
The United States is holding terrorism suspects in more than two dozen detention centres worldwide, about half of which operate in total secrecy, according to a new human rights report.

This won't hurt much
For some time now, I've been trying to find out where my son goes after choir practice. He simply refuses to tell me. He says it's no business of mine where he goes after choir practice and it's a free country.

Fascist Australian Govt torture exposed

Labor has said that the evidence against Mamdouh Habib is tainted

The fascist Federal Government has been exposed for the torture of Australian Mamdouh Habib and the US Government's allegations against him (if they were true) would have been made under duress.

Mr Habib insists he confessed to training some September 11 terrorists after being tortured. Ouch!

Fascist Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has conceded that innocent man Mamdouh Habib may have been physically abused in Egypt?

The Foreign Minister's admission came as senior government officials continued to maintain they had no evidence of maltreatment during Mr Habib's three years in US custody?

But the perpetrators of this brutal crime wouldn't concede to the crime, but they let it happen, and it was okay to watch it happen and perhaps to even interrogate Mr Habib themselves.

The War Criminal Downer also said it was possible evidence of torture would be found at the US's Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba, where Mr Habib was held without charge for almost three years before his release last month.

"For all I know, he may have been badly treated in Egypt, but we don't know because the Egyptians have still not conceded to us that they held him,"?

A parliamentary committee heard almost $500,000 was spent on returning Mr Habib to Australia.

Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, Robert Cornall, said to a Senate estimates committee hearing today the charter flight for Mr Habib had cost $US354,000 ($451,300).

Under questioning by Labor senators, he said the cost was shared equally between the US and Australian Governments.

Meanwhile Ch/7 Sunrise advocate this morning that a phone poll they had taken asking, "Do you think that under certain circumstances people should be tortured?".

'I think I love you' CH/7 and its viewers reckon 52% said yes. People should be tortured under certain circumstances and 48% said no they should not be tortured under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, the federal opposition Leader Kim Beazley (a well paid loser) chosen to lead the opposition by HoWARd's ABC and the Corporate media has been alleged to have narrowed the gap between the Labor Party and the Government by 10 percentage points since mid-January, an ACNielsen poll showed?

Another flawed plebiscite no doubt, the poll in today's Sydney Morning Herald, shows Labor under Mr Beazley enjoyed 48 per cent support on a two-party preferred vote, compared to the Coalition's 52 per cent.

But I notice strikingly that the same statistics 52% and 48% suggest the same group of people who think it's okay to torture a citizen.

Could this group of people represent human rights in Australia? One does wonder!

It is difficult to comprehend that Australia has gone that far back to the dark ages by lowering the standards of a human being. That means these people advocate that they themselves can be tortured?

Fascist Attorney-General Philip Ruddock does not know the reasons behind the US decision not to lay any charges but says American authorities had told Australian officials they did not have sufficient evidence?

"We were disappointed about that because they'd led us to believe they did," he said.

"They've told us they didn't have sufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution.

Ruddock "I assume it relates to a range of potential issues that might be involved in that."

Ruddock says he can not exclude the possibility that one of those "issues" was the use of torture to gain Mr Habib's confessions.

So after Ruddock let them torture him he was disappointed that they did not charge Mr Habib?

You mean it was all for nothing?

Labor's Nicola Roxon suggests the evidence against Mr Habib was tainted.

"I think it defies belief that they haven't asked the US the reasons that they released Mr Habib without charge," she said.

"The evidence they had was tainted in some way and couldn't be used, for example it was obtained through torture."

ASIO and federal police officials will be quizzed today about whether any of their officers witnessed Mr Habib being tortured.

But according to the ABC Four Corners program last night there is no question that their officers were complicit in the torture and interrogation of many others.

In Other Developments:

Secrets and Lies
by Reporter: Liz Jackson Broadcast: 14/02/2005

He lives quietly in Canberra's outer suburbs. He comes and goes a lot. When he is home he may be seen tending his roses in the front yard.

This unobtrusive, quietly spoken man has been privilege to some of the world's best-kept secrets for two decades. He knows from long personal experience how intelligence agencies and big defence bureaucracies operate.

Since the first Gulf War in 1991 his unique expertise on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction has been sought by the CIA, Canberra and the UN.

Now he's decided to talk to Four Corners...

"You're imbued with this idea of keeping secrets... you're not allowed to talk about who you are - even who you work for... What we're saying now will come as a surprise - even to some of my friends," he says.

"I think the world should know some of the truths, which at times, I'd have liked the world to have known - but I couldn't say anything."

Via interview and contemporaneous diary notes, the insider paints a disturbing picture of the backroom political forces at play in the run-up to the Iraq War and in its aftermath, as the coalition conducted its fruitless search for Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

He details to Four Corners:

* how he quit in disgust after the CIA censored a crucial WMD report, leading to deletion of central facts and conclusions. "We left the impression that maybe there were, was WMD out there...I thought it was dishonest," he says;

* his personal observations of the present head of Britain's MI6, who also played a key role in the David Kelly affair, applying pressure to "sex up" the same report;

* his pre-war advice to the Australian and US governments that Iraq's weapons did not threaten either country;

* how he reported to Australian authorities his suspicions about systemic abuse of prisoners in Iraq by coalition forces, before the Abu Ghraib scandal broke, and how his concerns were ignored;

* his and other Australians' roles in interrogating "high value" Iraqi prisoners - despite Canberra's denials of Australia's involvement in interrogations. "Someone was brought to me in an orange jumpsuit with a guard with a gun standing behind him...of course I didn't pull any fingernails out... but I think it's misleading to say no Australians were involved. I was involved."

By Just Us 15 February 05

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