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David Hicks free, no apology
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph
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By Kate Kyriacou and Scott Walsh
December 30, 2007 12:00am
CONVICTED terrorism supporter David Hicks was in hiding last night after walking from Yatala prison without apologising for his crimes.
After 2211 days in custody, a defiant Hicks left prison with his head held high yesterday morning, more than six years after he was arrested in Afghanistan for links with al-Qaeda.
But despite his father, Terry, indicating earlier in the week that Hicks would say sorry, Hicks released a statement that did not address his crimes.
He said he feared compromising a plea bargain cut to seal his release from Guantanamo Bay and gagging comment on his time abroad before March next year.
Instead Hicks thanked those who had supported him throughout his incarceration.
With police there to help him flee the waiting media contingent, Hicks, 32, was driven from Yatala Labour Prison with his father's former wife Bronwyn Mewett, who had led the campaign for his release.
But within hours of his release, a further controversy erupted over Hicks, with the mother of his two children claiming the youngsters had been left in the dark and did not know when they could see their father.
There were emotional scenes as his family gathered at the gates of the maximum security prison to escort Hicks to his first moments of freedom.
At 8.17am, the world got its first new glimpse of the man who spent six years locked up after he was captured alongside Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in December 2001.
Looking tired and overwhelmed, Hicks managed to flash a smile at Ms Mewett, who had gone there to meet him.
He kept his head up as he walked into the view of around 50 media representatives before entering a small building where he signed release papers.
From there, Hicks walked several metres to a waiting vehicle, which took him - guided by a police escort - to a secret location.
The convicted terror supporter looked curiously at waiting media and waved to supporters holding signs celebrating his release.
Hicks left behind his lawyer, David McLeod, who he had asked to read a statement on his behalf.
Stating that he "was not strong enough'' to talk publicly, Hicks said however that he wanted to thank his "wonderful Dad'' and a host of friends, family and supporters.
The statement did not include an apology, although Terry Hicks said last week his son's statement would include "some sort of apology I suppose for what he's supposed to have done ... and what people believed he's done''.
But yesterday Mr Hicks said his son - whose actions overseas included completing a raft of terrorism training courses and frontline duty against western forces - had nothing to be sorry for.
"You know, you've got to realise that David's done five years - pretty tough,'' he said.
"And I think that he's done his time for whatever.
"Nothing's been proved (as to) what he was supposed to have done. He's done his time and it's time for him now to settle down.''
An emotional Mr McLeod said he that had hugged Hicks as he signed his release papers and told him to go and "enjoy a beer''.
"It's sort of bittersweet in a sense. Really he should have been released a long time ago,'' he said.
"He only ever really asked to be put before a regularly constituted court and given a fair trial.
"That never happened. So, from a lawyer's perspective, I'm disappointed that we were never able to give him that - but to see him released, it's not too bad a second prize.''
Mr McLeod said Hicks was not the man he met more than two years before in Guantanamo Bay.
"I'm no psychologist or psychiatrist but let's just say the first time I saw him - which was in early 2005 - he was clearly someone who appeared to a lay person to be a broken man,'' he said.
"He was someone who had given up - someone who was despairing that he would never be released from Guantanamo Bay.''
Terry Hicks said yesterday ranked among the happiest days of his life.
"It's probably a huge day," he said.
"The main thing out of all this is he's now out. Give it a little bit of time and people will realise he's no harm to anybody.''
But as Mr Hicks spoke of plans for a family reunion, the mother of Hicks' children said she had been "left in the dark''.
Teenagers Terry and Bonnie are desperate to see their father but have no idea when they will finally be reunited outside prison walls, she says.
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph
* Font size: Decrease Increase
* Email article: Email
* Print article: Print
* Submit comment: Submit comment
By Kate Kyriacou and Scott Walsh
December 30, 2007 12:00am
CONVICTED terrorism supporter David Hicks was in hiding last night after walking from Yatala prison without apologising for his crimes.
After 2211 days in custody, a defiant Hicks left prison with his head held high yesterday morning, more than six years after he was arrested in Afghanistan for links with al-Qaeda.
But despite his father, Terry, indicating earlier in the week that Hicks would say sorry, Hicks released a statement that did not address his crimes.
He said he feared compromising a plea bargain cut to seal his release from Guantanamo Bay and gagging comment on his time abroad before March next year.
Instead Hicks thanked those who had supported him throughout his incarceration.
With police there to help him flee the waiting media contingent, Hicks, 32, was driven from Yatala Labour Prison with his father's former wife Bronwyn Mewett, who had led the campaign for his release.
But within hours of his release, a further controversy erupted over Hicks, with the mother of his two children claiming the youngsters had been left in the dark and did not know when they could see their father.
There were emotional scenes as his family gathered at the gates of the maximum security prison to escort Hicks to his first moments of freedom.
At 8.17am, the world got its first new glimpse of the man who spent six years locked up after he was captured alongside Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in December 2001.
Looking tired and overwhelmed, Hicks managed to flash a smile at Ms Mewett, who had gone there to meet him.
He kept his head up as he walked into the view of around 50 media representatives before entering a small building where he signed release papers.
From there, Hicks walked several metres to a waiting vehicle, which took him - guided by a police escort - to a secret location.
The convicted terror supporter looked curiously at waiting media and waved to supporters holding signs celebrating his release.
Hicks left behind his lawyer, David McLeod, who he had asked to read a statement on his behalf.
Stating that he "was not strong enough'' to talk publicly, Hicks said however that he wanted to thank his "wonderful Dad'' and a host of friends, family and supporters.
The statement did not include an apology, although Terry Hicks said last week his son's statement would include "some sort of apology I suppose for what he's supposed to have done ... and what people believed he's done''.
But yesterday Mr Hicks said his son - whose actions overseas included completing a raft of terrorism training courses and frontline duty against western forces - had nothing to be sorry for.
"You know, you've got to realise that David's done five years - pretty tough,'' he said.
"And I think that he's done his time for whatever.
"Nothing's been proved (as to) what he was supposed to have done. He's done his time and it's time for him now to settle down.''
An emotional Mr McLeod said he that had hugged Hicks as he signed his release papers and told him to go and "enjoy a beer''.
"It's sort of bittersweet in a sense. Really he should have been released a long time ago,'' he said.
"He only ever really asked to be put before a regularly constituted court and given a fair trial.
"That never happened. So, from a lawyer's perspective, I'm disappointed that we were never able to give him that - but to see him released, it's not too bad a second prize.''
Mr McLeod said Hicks was not the man he met more than two years before in Guantanamo Bay.
"I'm no psychologist or psychiatrist but let's just say the first time I saw him - which was in early 2005 - he was clearly someone who appeared to a lay person to be a broken man,'' he said.
"He was someone who had given up - someone who was despairing that he would never be released from Guantanamo Bay.''
Terry Hicks said yesterday ranked among the happiest days of his life.
"It's probably a huge day," he said.
"The main thing out of all this is he's now out. Give it a little bit of time and people will realise he's no harm to anybody.''
But as Mr Hicks spoke of plans for a family reunion, the mother of Hicks' children said she had been "left in the dark''.
Teenagers Terry and Bonnie are desperate to see their father but have no idea when they will finally be reunited outside prison walls, she says.
