Major Michael Mori, 46, relocated to Melbourne with his family to take up a post of ‘special counsel’ with local law firm Shine yesterday.
After representing Australian Mr Hicks – who was released under a control order in late 2007 and now lives in Sydney – Mr Mori maintains he was overlooked for promotion three times, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Court martial threat

MSN’s 9 News web site reports that Mr Mori was threatened with court martial in 2007 after speaking out about Mr Hicks and criticising the US military commission trial processes. Mr Mori was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2009, and eventually became a military judge in Hawaii before retiring this year.
In his book ‘Guantanamo: My Journey’, Mr Hicks described Mr Mori as a 'courageous man with a big heart’.
Mr Mori has confirmed that he hopes to expand his new firm’s social justice work, with the intent to continue to help the ‘Davids over the legal Goliaths’.
Speaking about Mr Hicks, Mr Mori told the Morning Herald: ‘You can't sit in a room with someone for three-and-a-half years and not [be friends]. Yes, I consider David a friend, I would always be there and help him if I could.'