Australia's first political prisoner

this is perhaps the most disturbing news ive seen in a long time:

"An American peace activist facing deportation from Australia may have been arrested for political reasons on orders from Washington, Greens leader Bob Brown says.

Scott Parkin, a teacher and activist who was once arrested in the United States, was detained on Saturday by Australian Federal Police on the authority of the immigration department.

Mr Parkin's lawyer Marika Dias said Mr Parkin was told he'd been arrested, and had his visitor's visa cancelled, because he was considered a threat to national security.

Mr Parkin - who had been teaching peace activism workshops in Melbourne - is being held at the Melbourne Custody Centre, where protesters rallied against his detention and expected deportation.

Ms Dias said authorities had not told Mr Parkin why he was considered a security risk in Australia.

[snip]

He said the government had been "very secretive" about Mr Parkin's detention and would not say under what law he had been arrested and held, nor why.

Ms Dias said Mr Parkin had been involved in one non-violent protest against Halliburton in Sydney, but no arrests were made at that rally.

[snip]

National Anti-Deportation Alliance spokeswoman Liz Thompson said Mr Parkin had done nothing wrong.

"He's a hippy giving workshops on peace, non-violent direct action," she told the ABC." (link)

Fuck you john howard - you fucking whore. may your death be slow and painful and soon.