SYDNEY: Australia’s most adorned soldier was arrested on Tuesday (Apr 7) and charged with 5 counts of battle crime murders referring to the killing of unarmed civilians whereas on deployment in Afghanistan.
Police mentioned a 47-year-old former Australian Defence Power (ADF) member had been arrested at Sydney Airport. Court docket information named the person as Ben Roberts-Smith.
He was charged with 5 counts of battle crimes in reference to the homicide of 5 individuals in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, Australian Federal Police (AFP) mentioned. The utmost penalty for every cost is life imprisonment.
“Will probably be alleged the victims weren’t participating in hostilities on the time of their alleged homicide in Afghanistan,” AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett informed a press convention.
“Will probably be alleged the victims had been detained, unarmed and had been beneath the management of ADF members once they had been killed.”
Police would additionally allege the victims had been shot by the accused or shot by subordinates appearing on his orders and in his presence, she mentioned.
Roberts-Smith was hailed as a nationwide hero after being awarded a number of high army honours, together with the Victoria Cross, for his actions throughout six excursions in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2012.
He has persistently denied allegations of wrongdoing throughout his service, a few of which had been first reported by 9 Leisure newspapers in a collection of articles beginning in 2018.
Among the many accusations reported had been that Roberts-Smith had shot useless an unarmed Afghan teenager and kicked a handcuffed man off a cliff earlier than ordering him to be shot useless.
Roberts-Smith, a former member of Australia’s Particular Air Service Regiment (SAS), unsuccessfully challenged the reviews in what grew to become Australia’s costliest defamation trial, with a Federal Court docket choose ruling in 2023 the newspapers proved 4 of the six homicide accusations they levelled. A closing attraction bid was dismissed by the Excessive Court docket in September 2025.
A 2020 report discovered credible proof that members of the SAS killed dozens of unarmed prisoners within the prolonged Afghan battle.
An investigation into the SAS soldier by the AFP and the Workplace of the Particular Investigator (OSI), set as much as study allegations of battle crimes by Australian defence forces in Afghanistan, was opened in 2021.
Ross Barnett, director of investigations on the OSI, mentioned the method was advanced and time-consuming as a result of authorities had been unable to go to Afghanistan and entry the crime scenes.
“We do not have entry to the crime scenes, we do not have pictures, web site plans, measurements, the restoration of projectiles, blood spatter evaluation, all of these issues we’d usually get at a criminal offense scene,” he mentioned on the press convention.
The joint OSI-AFP commenced 53 investigations involving allegations of battle crimes by ADF members in Afghanistan, with 10 ongoing. One other former particular forces soldier is because of face trial for battle crime homicide subsequent February, the OSI mentioned.
“If the proof results in different individuals needing to be charged, you could be assured that can occur,” Barnett added.
Amnesty Worldwide mentioned Roberts-Smith’s arrest was a “vital step towards international justice and accountability efforts”.
“Australian authorities should now guarantee all credible allegations are totally investigated and, the place acceptable, prosecuted,” mentioned Zaki Haidari, Amnesty Worldwide Australia strategic campaigner.
Police footage confirmed officers escorting Roberts-Smith off a flight upon arrival at Sydney Airport and right into a police automobile ready on the tarmac.
Native media reported that he had travelled to Sydney from Brisbane together with his girlfriend and two teenage daughters.
The New South Wales native court docket mentioned Roberts-Smith would seem earlier than court docket for a bail listening to on Wednesday.
Roberts-Smith’s lawyer for his defamation trial didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
