I so like when we "defend democracy" by killing a huge bunch of random people while undermining the rule of law, do not you?
Imagine if one could imprison without trial for five, count them, five years, random people like -- Big Dick, Bubble Boy, Rummy, Condi . . . and treat them to the notoriously wonderful food at Gitmo along with Caribbean waterboarding for free. Plus the continual luxuriation of solitary confinement.
Imagine.
MAJOR MICHAEL MORI, the defence lawyer for David Hicks, could be removed from the case after threats from the chief US prosecutor, Colonel Morris Davis, to charge him under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The intervention may derail Hicks's trial, and possibly prompt his return to Australia. It would take months for a new lawyer to get to grips with the case and the new military commission process.
The Prime Minister, John Howard, has told the US that any action leading to further delays would be unacceptable and would prompt him to demand the return of Hicks, 31, after five years in Guantanamo Bay.
Colonel Davis has accused Major Mori of breaching Article 88 of the US military code, which relates to using contemptuous language towards the president, vice-president, and secretary of defence. Penalties for breaching the code include jail and the loss of employment and entitlements.
Major Mori denied he had done anything improper but said the accusations left him with an inherent conflict of interest.
"It can't help but raise an issue of whether any further representation of David and his wellbeing could be tainted by a concern for my own legal wellbeing," Major Mori told the Herald. "David Hicks needs counsel who is not tainted by these allegations."
Major Mori, who has been to Australia seven times, will seek legal advice. The issue will also have to be raised with Hicks when his legal team next sees him. . . Colonel Davis said Major Mori was not playing by the rules and criticised his regular trips to Australia.
"Not playing by the rules"? What? You mean there are rules?
Here's why someone wants Hick's lawyer to shut up and quit -- his counsel knows how to call a spade a spade. So, you know, let's ruin Mori's career, just like we ruined Lt. Cmr. Charles Swift, that other uppity counsel.
Courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald.
David Hicks
Gitmo
Dirty Bush
2 comments:
Great blog :-)
The Chief U.S. Military Prosecutor ought to be SACKED for starting his personal media campaign to get even with Major Mori after Mori accidentally made a fool of him for forwarding the charges of attempted murder and creating the fake charge from Oct 2006.
If the Prosecutor thought Major Mori had breached the rules he would have had a duty to follow the rules himself, and as Chief Military Prosecutor he would have known the rules very well.
If Major Mori needs any assistance, we must provide all the assistance we can muster, although he probaby won't need our help when we consider his ability and who he's up against :-)
I wish Mori would not need assistance. Look what happened to Lt. Cmdr. Swift, after all. I wish the Bushists had some respect for the rule of law. However,s o far, the bad guys seem to be winning.
But -- there's always tomorrow.
Is there not?
Post a Comment