US EditionFormer Australian soldier charged with committing 5 war crime murders in Afghanistan
- On Tuesday, police arrested Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living soldier, charging him with five counts of war crimes related to his service in Afghanistan. He remains in custody at Silverwater Correctional Complex following a Wednesday court appearance.
- The charges follow a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator. Roberts-Smith previously lost a 2023 defamation trial where a judge found he was involved in murdering Afghan civilians on the balance of probabilities.
- Prosecutors allege Roberts-Smith murdered five unarmed, detained Afghan civilians between 2009 and 2012, or ordered subordinates to do so. The former Special Air Services Regiment member has consistently denied these claims, calling them "egregious" and "spiteful."
- During a Wednesday hearing at the NSW Bail Division Court, lawyers for the Victoria Cross recipient did not seek bail. Judge Lucas Swan adjourned the case to June 4, ordering Roberts-Smith to appear via video link.
- Former Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs noted the prospect of an overseas criminal trial is nearly unprecedented. The case will be monitored internationally, as charging at home removes the matter from the International Criminal Court.
257 Articles
257 Articles
Decorated from the Victoria Cross, Ben Roberts-Smith was arrested on 7 April in Sydney, accused of unlawful killings committed during his missions, and liable to life imprisonment.
The arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith is making waves in Australia. The first serious allegations against him emerged eight years ago.
Former Australian Defense Forces member Ben Roberts Smith, one of the most decorated military in the country, was arrested on Tuesday at Sydney domestic airport and will be charged with five counts of war crimes for murder in Afghanistan, authorities detailed today. The arrest took place as part of a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator, who since 2021 have investigated alleged violation…
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