Australian SAS soldiers issued termination notices

More than a dozen Australian Special Forces soldiers have been told to explain why they should continue to serve in the army following the war crimes report.

Thirteen elite Australian soldiers have been issued termination notices, as the Defence Department reacts to the Afghan war crimes report.

They are suspected of being witnesses or accessories to unlawful killings in Afghanistan, or being dishonest in testimony. The group has been issued notices to “show cause” as to why they should not be sacked, and have a fortnight to appeal.

Chief of Army Rick Burr would not confirm whether the group is separate to the 19 Special Air Service troops recommended to face murder investigations by the Brereton report.

He said the cases would be assessed on a case-by-case basis and it was essential privacy and procedural process be followed.

“This whole process will take time, and we will do this work methodically, deliberately, and in accordance with established process,” he said.

Thirteen soldiers have been issued with termination notices amid the fallout from the Afghan war crimes report. Picture: Department of Defence

“I reiterate my confidence in the Australian Army. We are all committed to learning from the inquiry and emerging from this a stronger, more capable and effective army.”

For privacy reasons, Defence is not revealing their details.

The Brereton report found “credible information” 25 special forces soldiers committed 39 murders of Afghan civilians, and mistreated two others.

Upon the release of the report, ADF Chief Campbell announced the SAS’s 2 Squadron would be disbanded.

Up to 3000 former and serving elite forces who served in Afghanistan also face being stripped of their Meritorious Unit Citation.

The move has prompted a backlash from some ADF families, who say it unfairly maligns troops who served with distinction, but Lieutenant-General Burr said he supported the decision.

“If we knew then what we know now, the unit would not have been put forward for a Meritorious Citation,” he said.

“There is a process to follow, as we follow all of those recommendations for individual and collective awards. And we will follow that process in a proper and fair methodology, and make sure that everyone‘s privacy is respected.

Special Operations Task Group soldiers practice drills in a training compound at Multi National Base - Tarin Kowt. Picture: Department of Defence

Defence earlier revealed 10 members of the SAS Regiment implicated in the shocking war crimes report released last week have received “show cause” notices.

The notices do not mean they are automatically dismissed and are more likely to involve disciplinary charges including formal warnings. But the men are not believed to be among the 19 of those who were actually involved in the alleged unlawful killings, executions and murders but rather were witnesses.

Some were also the whistleblowers, compelled to give evidence, who revealed the extent of the alleged atrocities and which Defence used as evidence.

At least two have already looked to quitting the military with the men advised they were likely to face some form of disciplinary action. They were advised their evidence could not be used in a legal court of law as they only gave evidence because as serving personnel they had to.

All are believed to be members of the now disbanded 2 “Sabre” Squadron as well as the SAS 3 Squadron. All of them also had already been warned they were likely to face some form of punishment despite the fact they were providing evidence.

The office of the Inspector General of the ADF (IGADF) last week issued its findings from a four year probe led by NSW justice Paul Brereton into alleged war crimes by Special Forces including the SASR and 2 Commando Regiment.

The findings concluded 25 current or former Special Forces were allegedly involved in crimes in some way, evidence of which was passed to the Australian Federal Police for further investigation with the view to recommending criminal charges to the Commonwealth DPP.

Among the allegation was a practice known as “blooding” were junior troops were told by troop commanders to execute a prisoner or civilian to bag their first kill.

In what is one of the darkest chapters in Australia’s military history, in all 25 elite soldiers were involved in unlawfully killing 39 Afghani men and adolescent males.

The AFP is currently looking at 36 specific briefs involving 23 unlawful deaths and two cases where non-combatants were treated cruelly.

Several soldiers were alleged to have been involved in more than one murder.

ADF chief General Angus Campbell described the behaviour as “disgraceful’’, General Campbell said a “warrior culture’’ with a “misplaced focus on prestige, status and power’’ had infected some Special Forces commanders.

“Cutting corners, ignoring and bending rules was normalised,’’ he said.

“It is alleged that some patrols took the law into their own hands, rules were broken, stories concocted, lies told and prisoners killed.”

Some of the crimes involved planting weapons and radios with their kills so as to change the narrative of who they were suspected of being, such as insurgents.

They have received ‘show cause’ notices from the Department of Defence after the long awaited the Brereton report found there is “credible information” that Australian soldiers allegedly killed 39 civilians or prisoners “unlawful killings” in Afghanistan.

For those needing support:

The Defence all-hours Support Line is a confidential telephone and online service for ADF members and their families 1800 628 036

Open Arms provides 24-hour free and confidential counselling and support for current and former ADF members and their families 1800 011 046, or through SafeZone on 1800 142 072.