Mr Hicks would only say that his son felt a guilty plea was the only way "he's going to get out".But what if there is no other country???
"No one is going help him, the Australian Government doesn't care," he said. "It's a way to get home, and that's what he has told us ... He's had five years of absolute hell and I think anyone in that position, if they were offered anything, they would possibly take it."
And sure enough, the guilty plea gives some comfort to Mr Hicks: A prisoner transfer deal means Hicks could serve out any sentence in an Australian jail.
[ cf Guilty plea the best news exhausted father could get ]
You know, you were a born american, and the Directorate Of State Security Sends you off to the Archipelago to be verified as whether or not you may or may not be one of those persons who could or would have done one of those things that those types of people do....