Charges against David Hicks
The Department of Defence announced on 1 March that charges were referred to a military commission in the case of David Hicks by the Convening Authority, Office of Military Commissions, Susan J. Crawford.
The convening authority referred one charge with two specifications of providing material support for terrorism against David Hicks. For more information read:
Jack's Control Order: 27 weeks and counting
Jack Thomas was the first Australian convicted under Australia's new counter-terror laws in March 2006. Although his conviction was overturned, Jack has been subject to a Control Order which imposes various restrictions on his movement, association and communication.
In recent Court hearings into the legality of the Control Order, Justice Kenneth Hayne queried just how the government could substantiate that potential threat in imposing a Control Order, suggesting it was simply declaring: "Trust me, I'm from the government".
Canada's counter-terror laws amended to uphold human rights
A law that allowed authorities to indefinitely detail and deport foreign-born terrorist suspects was struck down on 23 February by a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in Canada.
The court's decision means that the rights of
three men accused of links to al-Qaeda will not be over-ridden by national security concerns. Adil Charkoum Hassan Almrei and Mohamed Harkat had pleaded not guilty. The Government has been given one year to modify the law.
The case highlights the importance of a national Human Rights Act.
