Ben Roberts-Smith walks free on bail on Australian war crimes charges related to Afghan deaths
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living veteran, was granted bail and released from a Sydney prison 10 days after being charged with five counts of war crime murder related to killings in Afghanistan.
- The charges stem from allegations that Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal, unlawfully killed five Afghan civilians and prisoners in 2009 and 2012, with prosecutors warning he might flee or interfere with witnesses.
- Roberts-Smith, awarded the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry, denies the charges and claims he is a victim of false accusations and envy, but a 2023 civil court found the war crime allegations credible on a balance of probabilities.
- Prosecutors describe the charges as extremely serious, with Roberts-Smith facing potential life imprisonment; his defense highlighted the unprecedented nature and expected delays of prosecuting alleged war crimes in domestic courts.
- Roberts-Smith has yet to enter a plea and attended the bail hearing via video link, with concerns raised about possible further charges against other veterans involved in the incidents.
