23 January 2004

Military trial only option for Hicks, says Ruddock

But Mr Ruddock yesterday dismissed criticisms of the military tribunals, saying Major Mori was merely doing his job as a defence lawyer.
But legal experts said it was unusual for a defence lawyer to criticise the system in which an accused was being tried.

"Mr Ruddock clearly does not understand the immense pressure from the Pentagon to prosecute defendants at these military tribunals," said the chairman of the International Commission of Jurists' Australian section, Steve Mark.

"Major Mori is in the US Army and would not have spoken out unless he was speaking from conviction rather than expediency.



Boldface mine. Philip Ruddock once practiced as a solictor. I wonder how many cases he opened by saying this court is not competent to try this case because of its inherent unfairness? Ruddock's claim is nonsense. As a lawyer he knows it's nonsense.

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