[JURIST] The UK High Court on Tuesday ruled that David Hicks [advocacy website; JURIST news archive], the Australian detained at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] for over three years, should be registered as a British citizen. Hicks, whose mother was born in Britain, has petitioned for UK citizenship in the hopes that the UK will negotiate his release from Guantanamo, as it did for other British citizens [JURIST report]. Britain's Home Office has indicated that it wanted to refuse Hicks' application [JURIST report] due to "public policy considerations", but a judge has ruled that Home Secretary Charles Clarke has "no power in law" to deprive Hicks of UK citizenship and that Hicks "must be registered." The judge will allow the ruling to be appealed, but refused to suspend the decision pending appeal. Hicks was captured with Taliban forces in Afghanistan and is awaiting trial by a US military commission on charges [charge sheet] of attempted murder, conspiracy and aiding the enemy. His trial has been postponed [JURIST report] until the US Supreme Court [official website] rules on the legality of such commissions [JURIST report]. BBC News has more; AAP has local coverage.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase...

• Australian terror suspect to sue for British citizenship
• Australian Gitmo detainee threatens legal action over UK citizenship application
• Australian detainee seeks British citizenship to secure release from Gitmo