Despite himself, Hicks has became a poster boy because of failure of due process.

You don't have to be a Hicks supporter to support a fair judicial system.

Hicks has become a symbol for all the revelations about Guantanomo Bay, rendition, illegality of war and secretive nature of governments.

However there must be better symbols that can be found such as Andrew Wilkie and Joe Wilson.

Hicks did not kill anyone to our knowledge and he has more than served his time, so he should be free to live his life - but a standing ovation?

On the 'due process' issue- there is another problem;

WE did not charge him.
Our act was to simply decline to ask for him to be released, based on the potential security risk of doing so when he is returned domestically.

If it WERE us doing this ourselves I might actually agree with those demanding the government change its act; but as it is, they simply did not intervene, and I am quite happy that my country is taking such a policy (and putting the rights of domestic citizens' safety ahead of a religiously-fanatical-deserting citizen's right to not be mistreated by a foreign country after being part of numerous terrorist groups and illegal militant organizations).

Hazza
The US was remiss in it's own judicial process that was and is the only point. While I think to many Hicks was just another anti-Howard trigger as Houlley suggested, Hicks has also become a pro-Howard symbol in the same way. Both views are equally wrong if looking to politics first and ignoring the wider implications.

Failure of the judicial process has potential for a much wider impact for everyone and especially the innocent.

When governments start locking up people at will ignoring the separation of State and Judiciary we are on a slippery slope.

Hicks could not be charged here because we had no law to hold him but as it turns out neither did the US. New laws formulated in the US to deal with the problems of Guantanamo Bay were made retrospective.

Personally I don't give a stuff about any real terrorists serving time but failure of due process in this instance also meant many innocent men were serving time for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Google 'Guantanamo Bay innocent' to get a feeling for the high incidence of illegal detentions, the incidence is staggering.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7092435.ece

I would imagine the same 900 would give Australia's greatestPM a great boo. The kind you find on Q&A. What a self righteous bunch the left are. I wonder if Bill Henson was the cheer squad leader.

Dear runner,

'The same'again. The lump of inchoate mass you disagree with and lump together.

I enjoyed the article but like others, blanched a bit at the standing ovation.

Is that true? Is the cultural left so out of touch that they would applaud a man who fought with terrorists? Are they thinking he's some sort of Hanoi Jane with an AK47?

King Hazza makes a good point in that Hicks never went to trial. He should have.