*Ø* Blogmanac | How the US treated David Hicks

"The alleged Australian Taliban fighter David Hicks received a prolonged beating from US military personnel during an interrogation soon after his capture in Afghanistan.

"Accounts given to the Herald by several sources reveal that Mr Hicks was beaten extensively during at least one interrogation, and was shackled and denied sleep for long periods.

"His lawyer, Stephen Kenny, gave no details of the abuse but said it was sanctioned by higher authorities and 'not just the work of individual guards'.

"The revelations raise new questions about the length and extent of US maltreatment of prisoners and what the Australian Government knew about them.

"Transcripts of the Hicks interrogation were taken and it is believed there is also video and photographic documentation ..."
Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Unfortunately, David Hicks's lawyer is prevented by the US Army from releasing information to the public. Info just trickles out, but we know that the Red Cross were told about the beatings many months ago, on their first visit to David, and no doubt they brought it up with the governments of Oz and the USA, but everyone's keeping mum on this scandal. Only investigation (probably by journalists with balls) will uncover the extent of the breaches of the Geneva Convention by the Coalition of the Willing. I hope they do it soon, before all the evidence is shredded.

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The following piece is news about Mamdouh Habib, the other lost Aussie captive of the US military:

Former Guantanamo inmate says Habib was tortured
"A former detainee at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba says American guards tortured Australian man, Mamdouh Habib.

"British citizen Tarek Degoul was released from the military prison earlier this year and says Mr Habib was punched and kicked, photographed naked and filmed by US guards ..."
Source: ABC Oz