Aussie wrote on Dec 9^th, 2007 at 9:04pm:


Thank God you're here Aussie.  You're just in time to see the unravelling of freediver.  I have only just discovered why he is ignoring this - because he knows if he was to reveal the truth we would see he is bulltesticulatingly crapsmacking.

I just discovered this article.

Quote:


freediver lied - the article proves it and that is why he has ignored my polite requests in a most discourteous way.

http://news.smh.com.au/diplomats-deny-seeing-habib-in-pakistan/20080131-1p9x.html

Senior diplomats in Pakistan at the time of Mamdouh Habib's arrest deny they saw him in Islamabad and deny any interview at the Australian High Commission.

Consul Alastar Adams and Head of Mission Howard Brown were called on Thursday as witnesses in a preliminary hearing of Mr Habib's compensation claim against the commonwealth.

The former Guantanamo Bay detainee is seeking damages from the federal government, claiming Australian officials were present when he was interrogated and tortured in Pakistan.

http://news.smh.com.au/australia-knew-habib-could-go-to-egypt/20080201-1pj9.html

The first Australian official to gain access to former terror suspect Mamdouh Habib after his arrest in Pakistan says his transfer to Egypt was a known possibility from the outset.

And the ASIO officer, known by the pseudonym Paul Stokes, has told the Federal Court that American authorities tipped Pakistan off to Mr Habib's activities, prompting his arrest.

Mr Stokes claims he interviewed Mr Habib in Islamabad on three occasions in October 2001 following his arrest.

He is the first official to testify that Australians knew of Mr Habib's movement to Egypt prior to it occurring.

Mr Habib claims Australia had prior knowledge he was going to be transferred there from Pakistan and did nothing to intervene, and that his subsequent torture by the Egyptians meant Australia had failed in its duty of care.

Before this, the government has consistently denied all knowledge of his transfer until after the event.

Mr Stokes also contradicted consular assertions that diplomatic efforts failed to gain access to Mr Habib, saying it was achieved via a combination of both diplomatic and security channels.

The ASIO operative said he was instructed to gain access to Mr Habib and "inquire about his activities and his purpose in his travel".

He was escorted to two of the interviews by American officials, and they also took part in questioning Mr Habib, Mr Stokes said.

American intelligence had in fact prompted Mr Habib's arrest, he said.

"I wasn't told that he had been arrested by US officers, but I was aware that information leading to his detention may have been provided by them," Mr Stokes said.

mantra wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2008 at 8:54am:



Really?  Name some of them that were directly caused by John Howard's governance.  Just ten people out of the 'many' you claim suffered injustices will be fine, don't trouble yourself to list all the 'injustices'.

I doubt you can produce even one for whom John Howard was directly responsible.

Aussie wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2008 at 10:29am:


Then who is alleged to be responsible if not John Howard whose name was specifically mentioned my old chum?  And if it does not imply that John Howard is responsible why was his name uttered?

I need answers to your spurious claim of word twisting.

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Poor little Johnny!  No he was completely blameless for any of his government's misdemeanours of course.  Well that's what he always told us.  No - in this instance we have to blame his incompetent cabinet.  Ruddock at the time created a xenophobic culture in the immigration department and Andrews that weak apostle created the fear of militant muslims disguised as doctors infiltrating our hospital system.  We mustn't forget Georgie Bush either - he lied to our Johnny about fake WMD's and he in turn unwittingly lied to us.

Honest Johnny can walk away squeaky clean - his hands aren't soiled, although the same can't be said for the low moral characters who worked for his government.

The Howard Gvernment tried to pretend that there was no stolen generation, and aggressively resisted any "Sorry."  What say ye about the Libs about face on that?

I'll revisit here another time.  Pity -  Ozpolitics was just starting to pick up again in your absence with some interesting comments from other posters.