Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[fuagf]

And yet Hicks rots in Guantanamo while his very courageous American defender, Major Mori is threatened with disciplinary action for using "contemptuous words" in criticissm of El Presidento Bushbinder ..

"SYDNEY, Australia: The Pentagon-appointed lawyer for Australia's sole inmate at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba said Monday a chief U.S. prosecutor threatened him with charges that could slow his client's case from going to trial.

Marine Corps. Maj. Michael Mori said he was warned last week by the U.S. military's chief prosecutor, Col. Morris Davis, that he could be charged under Article 88 of the U.S. Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The article prohibits officers from using "contemptuous words" against the U.S. president, vice president, secretary of defense and other senior officials.

An outspoken critic of Washington's policy of trying Guantanamo detainees before military tribunals, Mori has made a number of speaking tours to Australia to drum up public support for his client, David Hicks.

In an interview with a U.S.-based reporter from The Australian newspaper published Saturday, Davis accused Mori of inserting himself into Australian politics and said he could be prosecuted for some of his comments.

But Davis, a U.S. Air Force prosecutor, conceded it was up to the Marine Corps to decide whether to lay charges against Mori.

"Certainly in the U.S. it would not be tolerated having a U.S. Marine in uniform actively inserting himself into the political process," he said. "It is very disappointing to see that happening in Australia and if that was any of my prosecutors, they would be held accountable."

Mori said any such move could delay Hicks' case for months.

"When a prosecutor uses this tactic of making criminal charges against someone's lawyer, it really could lead to that lawyer having to be removed from the case," Mori told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Hicks, a 31-year-old former kangaroo skinner who was captured in Afghanistan in late 2001 and stands accused of supporting the Taliban, was charged last week with providing material support for terrorism. He must appear before a military commission on the charge within 30 days. Note: after a charge of murder was withdrawn due to lack of evidence due to goddamn fabrication.

"Unfortunately it's just not going to be a speedy thing to get David another lawyer down at Guantanamo," Mori said. "It's going to be very difficult to accomplish this before the first hearing in 30 days and may cause a roadblock to that happening."

Prime Minister John Howard declined to comment on the possible criminal charges, but said any further delay in Hicks' case would be unacceptable.

The prime minister, a staunch U.S. ally who faces re-election later this year, has come under mounting pressure to demand that Hicks be returned to Australia, since he has already served five years without trial.

"We are very angry at the delay and we want the trial brought on as quickly as possible," Howard told the Nine television network. "We would not regard a further significant delay as being acceptable.""

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/05/asia/AS-GEN-Australia-Guantanamo-Inmate.php