It is very depressing to see a Professor of Constitutional Law argue for the complete abrogation of human rights in Habib's case, and by implication, for the use of torture for interrogation purposes, in contravention of international laws and conventions.

Habib was snatched off a bus in Pakistan, not Afghanistan. He was transferred by US authorities to Egypt, a country notorious for the use of brutal torture, and then transferred to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for two years of illegal detention and further interrogation. He has not been charged with any crime.

He was not permitted to fly through american airspace on his way home, in case this enabled him to file a complaint against his treatment by US authorities. He has now arrived back in Australia to rejoin his family, a physical and mental wreck. There are reports that he might be about to sue the United States for his unlawful detention, with the assistance of his US lawyer.

As an Australian citizen, I hope Habib not only sues the US Government, but the Australian Government as well, for refusing to assist an Australian citizen under illegal detention by a foreign government.

& he was caught RED HANDED by Echeleon SIGSOP. Disclosures of intelligence sources is a big issue.

Also in response to my apparent lose of human rights, Yes I do think that if an Australian is caught rorting the Genevation in order to perpetrate mass killings on a random scale because of some religious perception, then i am happy for the state to do whatever it takes to crush these individuals.

Sometimes, torture, like war is the answer. See what it acheived in Jordan April 2004 & ask if it is worth it.

http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/duarte/2004/0426.html

TORTURE
I saw an interesting doco last night. About Israel's hunt for the 'engineer' who put most of the suicide bombs together around 95ish.
A bomb was detonated on a bus, and intelligence suggested that there were other bombs soon to be used. (came with the same batch)

They found one of the accomplicies, and were wanting to find out more, so the interrogators requested the use of 'torture' from their superiors. It was denied. The next day another bus was blown up and many people were splattered all over the pavement. The superiors then allowed torture, the man gave important info, which led to the termination of that 'engineer' character.

I'm not making any judgement here. just relaying things as they were reported.

Sayeret, if Habib was caught "red-handed" then why wasn't he charged with a crime and prosecuted by the US authorities. I assume you believe that he was not prosecuted in order to protect military intelligence sources. The same intelligence sources that told us about the WMD in Iraq? And if this were really true, then why was Habib kept in detention for three years following.

You are free to believe this if you want to Sayeret, but frankly its just a little too convenient for me. Whether or not Habib is guilty or innocent, this should be determined through a court of law under the rule of law, and not through torture, illegal detention, and destruction of his health and reputation by government officials and the court of public opinion. Or have you forgotten what we are supposed to be fighting for?

Yes Grace, he certainly looked emaciated, And mistreated didn't he..
As for the WMD's, go to Syria. Debka told us that they were moved to Syria way before Bush acted.
www.debka.com