Interview with Terry Hicks

CAGEPRISONERS.COM: How did you feel when you heard David was being held in Guantanamo?

TERRY HICKS: I did not have a good feeling. At that time we did not know what or how they treated the inmates there. The situation is better now since we know what situation David is in.

CP: Going back to the winter of 2001, what took David to Afghanistan?

TH: I’m not sure. I was told when I was in Afghanistan that David was on a pilgrimage to further his study of Islam. Others say different things about why he was there, so we don’t really know until we speak to David further down the track.

CP: What do you know about the circumstances of his capture?

TH: David was arrested at a border checkpoint at a place called Pul-E-Khumri, not far from Pakistan border, by the Northern Alliance - not by the Americans on the battlefield, like they would like everyone to believe.

CP: What was David like? What were his qualities and characteristics?

TH: David had very good qualities; He would always help out with anyone that needed help in any way and his work ethics were very good. He did not like to stand around and do nothing. His employers were always happy with his work. David always helped around the house, particularly with the garden - he always liked to be outdoors.

CP: What was your reaction to his conversion to Islam, and how did his conversion change him in your opinion?

TH: I had no qualms about David's conversion. I did not think it did him any harm. It made him more talkative about different subjects, about what was happening around him and world events, which did no harm.

CP: How much communication have you had with David? What does he say about conditions in Guantanamo Bay?

TH: I've only had letters and not too many, until just lately; since his lawyers have been seeing him, communications with David has been better. We did have a phone conversation that was set up a week before Christmas 2003, but we were not allowed to speak about certain subjects, otherwise the phone was cut off.

CP: How has this ordeal affected you and the family as a whole?

TH: I believe it has brought us as a family closer together to make it easier to deal with this situation.

CP: How do you feel about the inaction on the part of the Australian government to your son's predicament?

TH: In one word - Frustrating! Particularly when the government has not lifted a finger to help.

CP: David's solicitor Stephen Kenny said that if David had been held in any other country the government would have made more of an effort to have him repatriated - why do you believe it's different in this case?

TH: We don’t really know why the government has not made an effort to have him returned home. Maybe it has just gone on too long and now it is an embarrassment to them and so they are willing to let the Americans deal with it.

CP: Do you believe the government has demonised your son?

TH: Yes, most certainly. Right from the start, they never had a good word about David and went all out to make David as bad as they could. That way they could get the public on side with their inhumane detention. But the longer it has gone on, the more the public are starting to wake up that something is not right, that they can keep these people locked up for over two years without charge.

CP: What is the public opinion in Australia about David and about Guantanamo Bay generally?

TH: The public in Australia are not silly. They seem to looking at the situation open-mindedly and voicing their opinions about what is happening. They write to different members of Parliament.

CP: Have you been in touch with the Muslim Community in Australia? Have they been supportive of David's plight?

TH: Yes, very supportive.

CP: David was the first detainee to be visited by a civilian and military lawyer. Could you tell us about Stephen Kenny's two meetings with David: How did he describe your son's physical and mental well- being and the conditions in which he was being detained?

TH: Stephen found David to be in reasonably good health, but that he was suffering from considerable weight loss, which has now been corrected with a change of diet. Apparently David was feeling quite down at that point, but Stephen said that was to be expected, considering what he was going through, but mentally he was quite good.

CP: What did you hope to achieve by the film "The President Versus David Hicks"? How has it helped David's case?

TH: The film, we hope, has made more people aware of what is happening with the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay - plus with the people we spoke to, they paint a different picture of what was happening, both in Afghanistan and America.

CP: What has been the response to the film, both in Australia and internationally?

TH: The response has been better than expected. The international public has been positive. At the moment it is being shown in Toronto, Canada, so we are waiting to hear their views. The American public was surprising: the amount of letters and e-mails from people offering support was overwhelming. The Australian public’s response also has been very supportive.

CP: Tell us about your visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan?

TH: It was an interesting trip - very hot and humid but I handled it okay! I found the people very friendly in Afghanistan. Pakistan was quite different: friendly but people seemed a bit worried about giving out information

CP: How did you feel coming face to face with David's captors?

TH: A bit worrying not knowing whether they were telling the truth about David but we ended up with enough information to check up on their stories and it was pretty close to what we had already and a different story to what the American and Australian Government were trying to present to the public. David was not armed or fighting on a battlefield like the Australian government were putting across.

CP: You also met some of the former Guantanamo detainees - what were their memories of David from Guantanamo and what were they able to share with you?

TH: I met up with Jan Mohamed, who was in the cell next to David, and he told us some interesting stories about David. Unfortunately we can’t divulge too much. Some of what he told me has been in the media over a period of time.

CP: What did you think of the play, X-ray - how was it received and do you believe it has helped David's cause?

TH: I thought the play was first class. It was pretty emotional for the family to see something so close to home being enacted in front of you. The actor who played the part of David made it look so real and got it across to the public very well. I believe that the play, which depicted one day of David’s detainment, made people more aware of what is actually happening and how they are being treated at Guantanamo Bay so, over all, I think the play was received very well by the public.

CP: What is your reaction to the recent news that, under an amendment to the 1997 International transfer of Prisoners Act, David could serve the rest of his time in an Australian Prison?

TH: My reaction to the Government’s change of laws was frustration to know that, in conjunction with the American Government, that they could do this, but thinking about it more rationally, it could work in our favour because the law says that David has not done anything wrong under Australian law; so whenever David ever gets back home, this will have to be looked into by the lawyers to see where he stands.

CP: What was your response to the new Anti-Terrorist measures that are to be passed in Australia? How do you think it would affect David and his campaign?

TH: The Anti-Terrorist laws that have been passed won’t stop my campaign or any others. As citizens of Australia, surely we still have the right to voice our opinions about anything that affects our lives. As far as affecting David, I don’t think it would change too much.

CP: What was your response to the allegations made by the released British detainees that he had renounced his faith?

TH: We are still not sure if he has renounced his faith. We hear too many conflicting stories about this subject.

CP: How are you feeling about the military tribunals that David will be facing in the near future?

TH: As Major Mori said, it is a very unfair and unconstitutional way of dealing with this situation. We don’t believe David would get a very fair hearing out of this. Our feeling is that David could be made a scapegoat.

CP: What would you say to him if you could speak to him now?

TH: I have already spoken to David on the phone, the week before Christmas 2003. All I could tell him was to be strong and he will survive this, and to think about all the people out there who are supporting him and it will get him through.

Mr. Hicks, thank you for speaking to us.