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David Hicks, who spent over five years in Gitmo, early this week made a public plea to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) asking that they not renew a control order on his activites, which limits his movements and is due to expire on Dec 31. A public pressure campaign was organised to support his request, but it proved unnecessary as the AFP quickly agreed to his request.
Hicks, the only person ever convicted (on a plea deal) at the Gitmo courts, says the control order has made it impossible toe get on with his life, and the media here have characterized this as his "sixth year in detention". Hicks remains mentally fragile and says he is still not ready to tell the Australian public his full Gitmo story.
Meanwhile, the AFP are facing new pressure on another front. The Australian government has just received a report into the AFP's disgraceful treatment of Dr. Mohamed Haneef, who was wrongfully detained as a terrorist in the lead-up to the last election here. There are renewed calls for the head of the AFP to be sacked.
