December 21, 2008
FORMER Guantanamo Bay prisoner David Hicks will fully focus on his rehabilitation program after his control order expired at midnight, his father said.
The convicted terrorism supporter has been living under a strict control order since his release from South Australia's Yatala jail last December.
Hicks' father Terry Hicks said his son was looking forward to his full freedom without having to report to police or abide by other control conditions, such as curfews or restrictions on his movements.
"At the moment, once it's all over, he's going to fully focus on his rehabilitation - it's what he wants to do," Mr Hicks said.
"What's been happening is he's been going to rehab, making good progress with the mental and physical things, then having to report to the police station so the rehab's been going out the window and he regresses in his treatment."
Hicks was captured in Afghanistan in December 2001 and in January the following year was transferred to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
On March 31 last year, under a plea bargain, he was sentenced to seven years' jail, but ordered to serve only nine months with the rest of his sentence suspended.
He returned to Australia in May last year and served out his remaining time in Yatala.
In a video released last month by lobby group GetUp!, Hicks promised to one day tell his story about "the hell that was Guantanamo Bay".
FORMER Guantanamo Bay prisoner David Hicks will fully focus on his rehabilitation program after his control order expired at midnight, his father said.
The convicted terrorism supporter has been living under a strict control order since his release from South Australia's Yatala jail last December.
Hicks' father Terry Hicks said his son was looking forward to his full freedom without having to report to police or abide by other control conditions, such as curfews or restrictions on his movements.
"At the moment, once it's all over, he's going to fully focus on his rehabilitation - it's what he wants to do," Mr Hicks said.
"What's been happening is he's been going to rehab, making good progress with the mental and physical things, then having to report to the police station so the rehab's been going out the window and he regresses in his treatment."
Hicks was captured in Afghanistan in December 2001 and in January the following year was transferred to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
On March 31 last year, under a plea bargain, he was sentenced to seven years' jail, but ordered to serve only nine months with the rest of his sentence suspended.
He returned to Australia in May last year and served out his remaining time in Yatala.
In a video released last month by lobby group GetUp!, Hicks promised to one day tell his story about "the hell that was Guantanamo Bay".
Source: The Australian
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