Downer, Ruddock et al have some Habib questions to answer

Project SafeCom Inc.
P.O. Box 364
Narrogin
Western Australia 6312
Phone: 0417 090 130
Web: https://www.safecom.org.au/

Downer, Ruddock et al have some Habib questions to answer

Media Release
Friday June 12, 2007 7:30am WST
For Immediate Release
No Embargoes

"The Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer as well as others in the Howard government such as the Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, have some serious explaining to do following last night's ABC Four Corners program's revelations which showed conclusive evidence that the Australian government was well aware of the plans and the execution of these plans to render terrorism suspect Mamdouh Habib to an Egyptian rendition prison, where he was seriously and grievously tortured," WA Rights group Project SafeCom said this morning.

"The fact that the Australian government allows International law breaches, that it allows torture of its own citizens, that it allows the Rule of Law to be seriously undermined, is extremely disturbing," spokesman Jack H Smit said.

"Four Corners laid out a clear deck of cards that is strong enough for serious questions to be raised with the Foreign Minister and the Attorney-General, and this material is so serious that it warrants a Royal Commission into the secrets kept, cultivated, fostered and supported by the Australian government about the treatment of Mr Habib and also others under the secrecy cloak of the terrorism legislation."

"Any attempts by agents of the Australian government to dismiss answers to questions raised as falling under the category of 'risking national security' is, after the ABC Report, something that no longer carries any credibility, and there is a serious task at hand for both the ALP Opposition and the cross-bench parties and Independents to prise the facts out of this government, a government that has as one of its strongest records the withholding of information to the Australian public, and the dismissal and undermining of the Right To Know, Mr Smit said, and "this would only be the beginning of an investigation, that may well end in the International courts."

Jack H Smit
Project SafeCom Inc.
[phone number posted]

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