Thomas a 'scapegoat'

MELBOURNE — The federal government's terrorism charges against Jack Thomas are aimed at making him a "scapegoat to cover up their own evil deeds", Tim Anderson told a public meeting on June 2.

Anderson, who spent eight years in prison, wrongly convicted over the 1978 Hilton Hotel bombing, pointed out that his own defence campaign focussed on gathering evidence to prove him innocent of the bombing.

The difficulty facing Thomas' supporters, Anderson said, is that there is no evidence to speak of, as the prosecution's case is based only on conversations that Thomas allegedly had in Pakistan.

The real motive for the case, Anderson suggested, is part of the widespread "intimidation of public debate".

Jack's brother Les Thomas reinforced this, telling the meeting that "The government wants examples, regardless of whether they constitute a threat to the community".

The meeting also heard from Margarita Windisch from the Socialist Alliance, who condemned the recent calls for legalising torture by the head of the Deakin University law department, comparing it to "the head of the literature department calling for the burning of all books".

Jack Thomas' trial date is to be set on June 22.

For more information visit <http://www.justice4jack.com>.

Ben Courtice

From Green Left Weekly, June 8, 2005.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 629