Major Mori and humanitarian groups received an ally today when a senior member of Bush's Republican Party, Senator Arlen Specter, openly criticised the proposed legislation.
The legislation, designed to interrogate and prosecute suspects in the war on terrorism, could be rushed through the US Congress this week.
"It is worse than the system that was in place before," Major Mori told the Los Angeles Times.
"It is not going to ensure there is a fair trial."
Compromise deal
President Bush and the three senior Republican senators -- John McCain, John Warner and Lindsey Graham -- agreed to the proposed compromise legislation last week for interrogating and trying terrorism suspects.
Opponents of Bush's original plan were heartened when the senators took a stand, but critics say the new legislation is flawed.
If the proposed legislation became law, it would allow the US to hold terrorism suspects in custody indefinitely if the suspects were not charged with an offence.
Only charged inmates could receive access to lawyers and a day in court.
Under the legislation, Hicks and other accused terrorists could be convicted on evidence obtained by a coerced confession, while hearsay evidence could also be used to convict accused terrorists.
Hicks, formerly of Adelaide and now housed at the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been in US custody since his capture in Afghanistan in December, 2001.