Australian authorities arrest former soldier Roberts-Smith on war crimes allegations

Australian Special Forces Soldier Arrested at Sydney Airport

A 47-year-old former Australian special forces soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been arrested at Sydney airport and is expected to face charges related to alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan. According to the Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett, Roberts-Smith will appear in court later on Tuesday over five counts of murder, specifically targeting unarmed Afghan nationals who were not participating in hostilities at the time of their alleged murders.

The arrest follows a complex investigation by the AFP and the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) that began in 2021. The charges come after Roberts-Smith lost defamation proceedings against journalists who reported he was involved in the murder of three Afghan men. An Australian judge initially found the journalists had not defamed him, but this ruling was upheld by the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in May last year.

Rawan Arraf, executive director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, stated that the arrest is a “significant and long-awaited step” for victims and affected communities in Afghanistan. The case has garnered attention in Australia due to Roberts-Smith’s previous recognition as the most-decorated living Australian war veteran, having received the Victoria Cross medal for his service.

About 39,000 Australian soldiers were deployed to Afghanistan as part of US and NATO-led operations over two decades. Former army lawyer David McBride remains imprisoned in Australia for revealing information about alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan.

Source: Al Jazeera