00:01Australia's most decorated living soldier, Ben Robert Smith, was arrested Tuesday over the killing of unarmed civilians while deployed in
00:08Afghanistan.
00:10Australian Federal Police Commissioner Chrissy Barrett confirmed the arrest.
00:14Good afternoon. A former Australian Defence Force member has today been arrested and will be charged with five counts of
00:21war crime murder after a joint investigation between the Office of the Special Investigator and the AFP.
00:28Police said the 47-year-old former ADF member was arrested at Sydney Airport and would appear at a New
00:34South Wales court later the same day.
00:36It will be alleged the man was a member of the ADF when he was involved in the death of
00:41Afghan nationals between 2009 and 2012 in circumstances that constitute war crimes under the Commonwealth Criminal Code.
00:51Barrett said the victims were unarmed and under Australian military control.
00:55It will be alleged the victims were detained, unarmed, and were under the control of ADF members when they were
01:02killed.
01:04It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in
01:11the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused.
01:16Robert Smith was once hailed as a national hero and awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during six tours
01:22of Afghanistan.
01:23He has consistently denied wrongdoing. Allegations first reported in 2018 led to Australia's most expensive defamation trial, which he lost.
01:34The charges follow years-long investigations into alleged war crimes by Australian Special Forces in Afghanistan.
01:42Police stressed the charges do not reflect the broader Australian military.
01:46The alleged conduct related to these charges is confined to a very small section of our trusted and respected ADF,
01:55which helps keep this country safe.
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