Hicks may be in court by March
Prime Minister John Howard’s ultimatum for the US to officially charge terror suspect David Hicks has passed, with no concrete developments. Pressure is mounting on the PM after several rebel coalition MPs have written to him in support of Hicks’ return to Australia for trial. Mr Howard has assured them he will speak with Dick Cheney about the issue when he visits the country next week. Hicks’ US prosecuter today announced it was likely he will be able to stand before a judge in March, but does this signal progress? Shadow Federal Attorney General Kelvin Thompson says he has little confidence that Hicks will receive a fair trial, and the Civil Rights Defence Group’s Jeff Sparrow agrees, saying the announcement is a sham. However, Omar Merhi, whose brother is being held for the same charges in Victoria, is relieved at the latest development, saying it offers families of suspects some hope.