Fed: PM Howard says he can't stop Habib interview

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2005
Fed: PM Howard says he can't stop Habib interview

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says he can't stop former Guantanamo Bay detainee MAMDOUH
HABIB from being paid to do a television interview.

But he says the government is keeping its options open until after Mr HABIB's interview
is aired on the Nine Network's Sixty Minutes program on Sunday.

It'll decide then whether any money paid to him can be seized.

Mr HABIB was released without charge from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and
returned to Australia more than three years after being detained on suspicion of being
a terrorist.

Mr HOWARD's told radio 3AW he has no advice that the reported $200,000 payment to Mr
HABIB is illegal.

Under Australian law, the proceeds of selling a story can be seized if the recipient
is profiting from a crime, including terrorism.

AAP RTV pjo/sb/sco/rt

KEYWORD: HABIB (CANBERRA)

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