Hilton Bombing: 30 years on - implications for the 'war on terror' - April 29
Hilton Bombing: 30 years on – implications for the 'war on terror' – April 29
The 1978 Hilton Bombing killed three people, and led to a series of trials, imprisonment and then acquittals. The government of the time introduced increased powers for security agencies in response. Since that time there have been numerous calls for a wider enquiry into who was responsible and the role of Australia's law enforcement bodies.
Over a hundred people packed into a Campbelltown lecture room to hear first hand from Terry Griffiths, one of the police injured in the bombing. You could hear a pin drop as he described the death of three people and his own horrific injuries, still affecting him today.
Eric Sidoti, Terry Griffiths and Michael Head at the forum
Mr Griffiths explained he wanted to give an "insight into what it's like to be a victim of a bombing." He outlined his meticulous, detailed investigation into who was behind the bombing, including efforts to get inquiries held and combing through boxes of records.
Dr Michael Head, an Associate Professor with the UWS Law School, explored a number of key questions arising from the bombing about how Australia deals with terrorism in 2008. What impact do the unresolved questions about the Hilton Bombing have on policy developed now in response to terrorism? Can legislation protect civil liberties and prevent violence? Are the recent anti-terror laws an echo of the laws passed 30 years ago?
Dr Head's presentation proved to be a cautionary tale that resonates still in 2008. His paper is available for download here.
The forum generated a lively debate among those present, sparking many questions to the speakers.
In closing the forum, the Dean of the Law School, Prof Michael Adams, urged the many law students present to consider how they could address injustice as they take all they had heard back into their lives and more particularly through their chosen vocation.
