Hicks could face years of litigation says Major Mori

Today at Adelaide University there was another meeting or "rally", as most of the media reports I've seen described it, about David Hicks. Anyone who's ever been in a Napier Building lecture theatre (the venue) will know how inaccurate the latter term is. That aside, the indefatigable Major Mori spoke to those present. His comments have been reported in the media, including News.com.au("Hicks will 'be in court for years'"), The Age ("Hicks could face years of litigation"), The Australian ("Hicks will spend years in court: Mori") and Yahoo!7 News ("Hicks facing years of litigation:Mori").

I wasn't at the meeting as I was visiting a friend in the nearby Royal Adelaide Hospital. I did by chance bump into Major Mori as I was walking along North Terrace afterwards, so I was able to tender my apologies, shake his hand and tell him to keep up his good work.

US Vice President Cheney, who is still visiting Sydney (which is not the same as a"tour of Australia", as some eg the ABC have described it) has been quoted by News.com.au as saying that "Hicks is near the head of the queue":

Mr Cheney said Hicks had now been charged and the US Defence Department was now deciding whether a military commission would be convened to try Hicks. "Mr Hicks is near the head of the queue," Mr Cheney said. "We can't interfere with that process.It's a judicial process. We can't influence it. That would be a violation of the procedure.But I do expect that in the not too distant future that ... will get resolved. I can assure you we will be doing everything we can to deal with these matters in as expeditious manner as possible."

Mr Howard said while he did not sympathise with Hicks, he did stress to Mr Cheney his concern about the amount of time it was taking for him to be put on trial. "I have asked ... that the trial be brought on as soon as humanly possible and that there be no further delay," Mr Howard said. "I have put that very plainly and I have put that in the context of direct speaking of close friends."

Hmmm...