When you make something up because your terrorist training tells you.OF COURSE there's no evidence.
Bruce Habib offered no evidence of torture: AFP February 15, 2005 - 10:40AM Sydney Morning Herald Habib ... provided no physical evidence of being tortored, says the AFP. Habib ... provided no physical evidence of being tortored, says the AFP. Photo: Courtesy of 60 Minutes Australian police found no physical evidence that Mamdouh Habib had been tortured while in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty said today. Nor was there any physical evidence that the Australian citizen had been tortured while being held in Pakistan, Mr Keelty said. Mr Habib has detailed a systematic regime of mental and physical abuse during his custody in both Pakistan and Cuba, including claims an Australian official in Pakistan watched as he was tortured. However, Mr Keelty said during three interviews with Mr Habib in Pakistan and Guantanamo Bay, AFP officers detected no physical evidence to back Mr Habib's claims. "Mr Habib did not present with any physical evidence of having been tortured," Mr Keelty told a Senate committee. "There was no sign of maltreatment when he was interviewed in Guantanamo, nor were there any signs in Pakistan." Mr Keelty said he believed Mr Habib was subjected to medical examinations by Australian officials, but could not be sure. He told the committee he would find out and get back to them. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officer was present at the Guantanamo Bay interview in May 2002, and heard Mr Habib's allegations of mistreatment, Mr Keelty said. It was DFAT's responsibility to investigate allegations of torture in another country, he added. In December, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said a preliminary US investigation found neither Mr Habib nor fellow Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks had been tortured in Cuba. Mr Habib also alleged he had been tortured in Egypt, but Mr Keelty said the AFP could not confirm whether he had been held in that country. "He said he was maltreated by people who spoke the Egyptian language," Mr Keelty said. "DFAT were present and it was a matter for DFAT to follow through. "The AFP is not in a position to confirm whether Mr Habib was in Egypt." Egypt has not conceded to Australia that Mr Habib was held there, Mr Downer said yesterday. Mr Habib returned to Australia last month after more than three years in detention. The US eventually released him without charge, but Mr Habib remains a person of interest to Australian authorities, who are concerned about his alleged links to al-Qaeda. Despite concerns by spy agency ASIO that Mr Habib is a security risk, the government has said on current evidence he could not be charged under Australian law. Mr Keelty confirmed the AFP found no basis upon which to charge Mr Habib. "We advised the appropriate minister that on the evidence available to us on the interview in Guantanamo Bay, as the law existed at that time, there were no offences committed by Mr Habib," he said. Yesterday NSW Premier Bob Carr said Mr Habib had not sufficiently answered allegations of connections with terrorist groups in his paid interview with 60 Minutes. "I am not terribly impressed with his case as he presents it. Anyone who is off running with (a) terrorist group in Afghanistan has a lot of explaining to do," he said. "Why was he there, who was he associated with and what exactly was he being trained in ... as far as I am concerned both things have not been explained." Mr Carr said he supported an inquiry into Mr Habib's alleged torture while in detention, saying that the use of torture would taint any evidence. But Mr Habib should remain under observation, he said. "We have an obligation to ensure that Australians are not subjected to any advanced terrorist threat," Mr Carr said. AAP [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project. http://us.click.yahoo.com/FHLuJD/_WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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