Australian police arrested former serviceman Ben Roberts-Smith, 47, at Sydney airport on 7/4. He faces five war crime charges related to the alleged murder of five civilians in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The Australian Federal Police stated that the victims were not combatants at the time of the incidents. They were detained, unarmed, and under the control of Australian soldiers.
According to the indictment, Roberts-Smith either directly shot the victims or ordered subordinates to do so in his presence.
 |
Ben Roberts-Smith at the federal court in Sydney, Australia in 5/2025. *Photo: Reuters* |
Roberts-Smith was denied bail and held overnight at Silverwater correctional facility in western Sydney. A bail hearing was scheduled for the morning of 8/4, but Roberts-Smith did not appear either virtually or in person.
Jordan Portokalli, Roberts-Smith's lawyer, informed the court that he would not submit a bail application for the former serviceman, instead requesting an in-person hearing today.
Justice Lucas Swan ordered the case to be reviewed on 4/6, meaning Roberts-Smith will remain in custody until then unless his defense team can secure an earlier hearing.
The charges follow a joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator, a unit established to examine suspected criminal misconduct by Australian soldiers. The investigation commenced in 2021.
Roberts-Smith has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing during his military service.
Ben Roberts-Smith is a former member of Australia's elite Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). He was lauded as a "national hero" for his actions during six deployments to Afghanistan from 2006 to 2012.
He is considered Australia's most decorated living veteran and has received numerous honors, including the Victoria Cross, the highest award for members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.
*Pham Giang (Reuters)*
