[JURIST] US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales promised his Australian counterpart Philip Ruddock Monday that Australian terror suspect David Hicks [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] would receive a fair trial before a military commission [JURIST news archive], but refused to give a time frame for when the trial is likely to occur. Preliminary hearings in Hicks' trial are scheduled to begin on November 18 [JURIST report], but his lawyers have argued that the trial should not begin before the Supreme Court issues a decision regarding the legality of the commissions [JURIST report]. The Pentagon previously announced that no delay [JURIST report] would be granted. Gonzales also promised that Hicks "will be provided with a fair trial, fair opportunity for right to counsel and the right to ask questions of witnesses." AAP has more.