And the government complies. So what if he “took orders from bin Laden” and deemed the latter “lovely“?
“Gov’t lifts restrictions on Aussie linked to al-Qaeda,” from USA Today, November 20:
Australia announced today that it’s lifting the restrictions that were imposed on David Hicks after he was released from Guantanamo Bay and returned to his home country.
Hicks trained with al-Qaeda and was captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan after 9/11. Before the United States released him from the detention facility in Cuba, Hicks confessed to supporting terrorism.
Since his release from prison in Australia, Hicks has been subject to a “control order” that allows authorities to monitor his activities.
On Dec 21 “the current control order in respect of Mr. David Hicks expires,” the Australian Federal Police says in a statement. “Following extensive consultation with a number of agencies, the AFP has decided it will not be seeking a further control order in respect of Mr. Hicks. The AFP has today advised the Attorney-General and Mr. Hicks” legal representative of its position. The AFP will not be making any further comment in relation to this control order process.”
The statement was released after activists posted a video clip in which Hicks asked the government to “let me get on with my life,” ABC Radio reports.