Roberts-Smith Arrest Highlights War Crimes Accountability
Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, has been arrested and charged with five counts of war crimes, including murder. These charges stem from allegations of the unlawful killings of Afghan nationals between 2009 and 2012, during which the victims were reportedly unarmed and detained. The investigation, conducted under challenging circumstances due to the distance from Afghanistan and lack of access to crime scenes, found that Roberts-Smith was allegedly involved in the deaths of two Afghan males at Whiskey 108 in 2009, Ali Jan in 2012, and two other civilians at Syahchow in 2012. This follows a defamation trial where a court found it more probable than not that Roberts-Smith committed murder while serving in the military.
John Q. Hosedrinker