[JURIST] Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock [official website] Friday denied contentions by lawyers representing Australian Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] detainee David Hicks [JURIST news archive] that comments [JURIST report] made by the head of the US military prison indicated he would not get a fair trial. US Navy Rear Admiral Harry Harris [official profile], commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay [official website], remarked Thursday that Hicks was a terrorist and "dangerous", and that there are no innocent men being held at Guantanamo. On Friday Ruddock nonetheless also praised Hicks lawyer USMC Major Michael Mori [MSN profile] as a "fearsome advocate" for his client.

The US military drafted new charges [JURIST report] against Hicks last week, after repeated pressure from Australian lawmakers [JURIST report]. Hicks has been imprisoned at Guantanamo since shortly after his 2001 arrest in Afghanistan, where he allegedly fought for the Taliban. The Australian government has expressed support for the new charges, [JURIST report] which are expected to be approved within two weeks. ABC has more.