US charges Australian David Hicks

March 26, 2007



David Hicks of Australia became the first to be charged under the new Military Commissions Act as he appeared before a military judge at Guantanamo Bay to face charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization. The 31-year-old Australian's lawyers have been considering a plea bargain, in hopes he can be handed to Australian custody. It is alleged that Hicks, a convert, attended  training camps and fought with the. He was captured in 2001 in Afghanistan where, according to his father, he was on a religious pilgrimage.

Hicks sought to expand his defense team, but two of his lawyers were disqualified by the military judge. One of them, Joshua Dratel, refused to sign a document setting out the rules for the tribunal. Hicks said he was "shocked" to lose another lawyer.