US military probe finds no abuse of Australian Gitmo detainees News
US military probe finds no abuse of Australian Gitmo detainees

[JURIST] An investigation conducted by the US Navy Criminal Investigation Services [official website] has found no evidence to support allegations that Australian Guantanamo Bay detainees were abused. In a letter written to Australian Prime Minister John Howard [official website] released Saturday, Principal Deputy US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Ryan Henry noted that a exhaustive year-long inquiry undertaken at the request of Australian authorities [JURIST report] revealed "no information that substantiates or corroborates allegations of abuse" of terror suspects David Hicks [JURIST news archive; Fair Go for David advocacy website] and Egyptian-born Australian Mamdouh Habib [JURIST news archive]. Hicks was taken into custody in August 2001, and is still awaiting trial by a military commission on charges of conspiracy, attempted murder and aiding the enemy. Habib was released [JURIST report] in January after three years in custody at the terror suspect detention camp, and has since alleged that he was mistreated at the hands of US authorities. Reuters has more. Mamdouh Habib is sticking by his abuse claims [Australian Broadcasting Corporation report] following the US military report's release.