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Bombs are
' retaliatory'
By AAP
07/09/05 "AAP" - - The father of Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks today met former detainee Mamdouh Habib for the first time, with both saying the London bombs were pay back for the war in Iraq.
Terry Hicks met Mr Habib, who was released in January this year from the US prison in Cuba, in Sydney.
Mr Habib was arrested in late 2001 on suspicion of terrorist activities and was held in the US-controlled Guantanamo Bay detention camp for more than three years.
Mr Habib claims he was also taken to Egypt and tortured between November 2001 and February 2002.
David Hicks has been held at Guantanamo Bay for three-and-a-half years and is awaiting trial. He met Mr Habib once.
"I believe it is a retaliatory act," Terry Hicks said of the London bombings in which 50 people died and 700 were injured.
"I think by sending troops anywhere in the world always heightens that retaliation ... for invading someone's country."
Mr Habib said the British government had gained a bad reputation by supporting the US in the war on terrorism.
"The British government ... do a lot of bad things," Mr Habib told reporters in Sydney.
"They advertise in Iraq that they attack people. They give themselves a bad reputation."
Mr Hicks said he did not think the latest bombings would affect his son's chances of freedom.
"I honestly don't believe there's that many people around that would say David is a bad fella because of the London (bombings)," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Hicks said he was concerned about his son's health and mental state after speaking to him on the phone two weeks ago.
"He said he was not real good, he's coping but he wasn't (feeling) right," Mr Hicks said.
"He said he was having trouble with his eyesight and back."
The Australian government continued to give positive updates about his son despite his obvious deteriorating mental state, he said.
"I believe he's now at the apex of his condition where the mental side of it could go one way or another," Mr Hicks said.
Mr Habib, who spent some time with Hicks in detention, maintains the 29 year old is innocent.
"The way he talk(ed) to me he's innocent. He's a victim. I believe David Hicks has been tricked."
Mr Habib said he was trying to settle back into normal life since his return to Australia but was followed by Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) agents on a daily basis.
"If I don't see the ASIO, I can't sleep," Mr Habib joked.
"Everywhere I go (they go). I told them if you want a key to my house I am very happy to hand it (over).
"I (want to) invite them in. They don't have to follow me, they don't have to use the tax(payers) money."
But Mr Habib expressed anger that his family was affected by what had happened to him.
"Why my kids have to suffer? They (the government) try to make my kids hate me because they doesn't allow (them to have student) payments."
- AAP
Copyright © 2005. The Age Company Ltd.
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