Two Australian terror suspects held at the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay have not been mistreated, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday following allegations by one of the men's lawyer that his client had been abused.
Shortly after Howard made his comments, however, Stephen Hopper, attorney for the second detainee, Mamdouh Habib, reiterated claims of mistreatment.
"John Howard does not know what is going on in Guantanamo Bay. He is taking the approach of the three wise monkeys rather than having a look himself," Hopper said.
"We are adamant that Mr Habib has been subject to torture and abuse and we have evidence to support this," he said.
He did not elaborate on the evidence.
Detainee David Hicks' lawyer, Stephen Kenny, alleged last week that his client had been abused and had reported the claim to the International Red Cross in 2002.
Howard said he telephoned Australia's ambassador to Washington, Michael Thawley, to make sure that improper interrogation methods had not been used against the men.
"It is my understanding that the Australian consul-general in Washington has been to Guantanamo Bay and is satisfied that there has been no unacceptable treatment of either Hicks or Habib," Howard told Australia's Channel Ten.
"I rang Michael Thawley and said `Look, will you go back to the Americans and get a further assurance?' I gather an assurance has been given in writing that there has been no improper interrogation of Hicks and Habib," he added.
Habib's wife Maha said it was hard to believe Howard's assurances.
``I don't believe anything Howard says because I don't trust him,'' she said yesterday. She said she has not heard from Habib since March last year, although the family continues to send him letters through the International Red Cross.
Hicks and Habib have been in detention at Guantanamo Bay since late 2001. Habib was arrested in Pakistan for allegedly training with al-Qaeda. Hicks was detained in Afghanistan allegedly fighting for the Taliban.
Hicks, a former Australian cowboy, is one of the first of the detainees at Guantanamo to be appointed a US military lawyer and is expected to face a US military tribunal, although no charges have been made, and no date has been set.
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