No immediate impact for Hicks case: A-G

17 Oct 2012, 7:59 pm   -   Source: AAP

The federal government says there is 'no immediate impact' from a US court case on the ability of David Hicks to appeal his conviction.

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The Australian government sees "no immediate impact" on David Hicks' terrorism conviction from a landmark United States court decision.

A former driver for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden who served a prison term for material support for terrorism has had his conviction thrown out after the US appeals court ruled the charge was unlawfully applied retrospectively.

Salim Hamdan's charge is the same as that Mr Hicks pleaded guilty to before his release in 2007 from a US military jail at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba after five years in detention.

Mr Hicks was on Wednesday seeking advice on whether he can appeal his US conviction and seek compensation from the Australian government.

A spokesman for Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said on Wednesday the government was examining the case for any "local implications".

"We are advised that there is no immediate impact for Mr Hicks' conviction and sentence arising out of this case at this stage," the spokesman told AAP.

"He was not a party to the case and there are potential appeal proceedings."

The US government is reviewing the Hamdan ruling and could still appeal.

But Ms Roxon's spokesman said the Labor party in opposition had concerns about the level of the former Howard government's consular support to Mr Hicks.

"We are obviously not in a position to comment on the involvement of the Howard government and what ministers knew at the time of Mr Hicks' plea, considering this took place before the election of the Labor government," he said.

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