Guantanamo tribunal continues to be run like a Kangaroo Court

The credibility of the military tribunal system set up at Guantanamo Bay has sunk so low that they're now offering reduced sentences as a reward for promises of silence.

David Hicks will be out of jail on New Year's Eve after an extraordinary plea bargain that meant whatever jail term he was given, he would serve only nine months.

He won the shorter term in a pre-sentence deal that appears to ensure his silence until after the Australian federal election.

After more than five years in custody in Guantanamo Bay, he will be back in Australia before the end of May to serve the balance of his term.

He will remain in jail until after the election, due by the end of this year.

In return [for his reduced sentence], he made concessions, including agreeing not to talk to the media for a year. He also promised not to allege mistreatment in US custody, despite earlier claims that he was abused.

The ban on talking to the media appears to have been suggested by the Australian Government, as it would be unconstitutional in the US.

"It is clearly a political fix arranged between Mr Howard and the Bush administration to shut up Hicks until after the election in November," Senator Brown said.

h/t Shaun Mullen