Former Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks has heckled Australia's Attorney General George Brandis after the release of a damning CIA report into the U.S. torture program.
Hicks interrupted the Human Rights Award proceedings last night, straight after Attorney General George Brandis concluded his remarks.
"Hey, my name is David Hicks, I was tortured for five-and-a-half years in Guantanamo Bay in the full knowledge of your party. What do you have to say?" he said before being stopped by organisers of the event.
Hicks was captured by U.S. forces in 2001 and pleaded guilty to providing material support for terrorists. He has since claimed the admissions were made under duress and that he was part of the U.S. "enhanced interrogation" program at the military prison.
Senator Brandis played down the exchange on Thursday: "(It was) a random individual who turned out to be a terrorist, yelling from the side of a room for three seconds".
"You don't expect to run into a terrorist at a Human Rights Award" - Brandis
His government colleagues have expressed concerns Hicks was allowed into last night's event. The full video of Hicks' heckling can be seen during this report by ABC News 24:
