Indian interested in Aussie Guantanamo detainee

Melbourne, Feb 10: While a debate is raging down over long trial delays for the Australia's sole Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks, Indian government is also interested to talk to him for his alleged involvement in terrorism related activities in the country.

David Hicks, an Australian citizen, had allegedly fired hundreds of bullets on the Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir in year 2000.

Indian government is believed to have started an investigation about the Australian's involvement in anti-Indian terrorism activities as a member of the dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The chances of Indian government extraditing David Hicks from Australia in the near future are though somewhat bleak as David Hicks faces 20 years imprisonment in the US if terrorism charges labelled by the Americans are upheld.

Hicks was arrested in Afghanistan in late 2001 and is among around 395 suspected al Qaeda and Taliban fighters being held in Guantanamo. He faces charges of providing support for terrorism and attempted murder in violation of the law of war.

While the British and number of other US allies have taken their nationals home, David Hicks is still waiting for the illusive trial to decide his fate.

David Hicks's father Terry Hicks has been fighting a lone man's fight to bring his son home ever since the former kangaroo skinner was found cowering among the Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in 2001 by the US forces.

David Hicks, father of two from Adelaide, was used to write to his family in Australia from Pakistan. In an oft-quoted letter he is believed to have written on August 10, 2000.

''I got to fire hundreds of bullets. Most Muslim countries impose hanging for civilians arming themselves for conflict. There are not many countries in the world where a tourist, according to his visa, can go to stay with the army and shoot across the border at its enemy, legally.'' David Hicks had also claimed to be a guest of Pakistan's army for two weeks at the front in the ''controlled war'' with India in the same letter.

According to News Limited newspapers, the US prosecution file states that David Hicks converted to Islam and joined the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan 1n 2000. He is believed to have gone to the disputed Indo-Pak border in Kashmir and allegedly fired on the Indian soldiers.

This information was sent to New Delhi this week by the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Australia, Vinod Kumar, News Limited newspapers have reported.

''If Mr Hicks was involved with them at any level, and if he was indeed firing weapons at our troops, then, most certainly, we would like to talk to him about it ... We don't take kindly to attacks on our soldiers -- even attacks by people like Mr Hicks,'' an Indian official has told Australian reporters from New Delhi.

UNI