Thirteen SAS troops given termination notices after Afghan report

The fallout from the Afghan war crimes report has begun, with 13 elite soldiers given 14 days to explain themselves or be fired.

Ten soldiers have been issued with termination notices amid the fallout from the Afghan 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 was 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.

Chief of Army Rick Burr said the process would take time, and procedure must be followed. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Gary Ramage

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

“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 the identities of the soldiers.

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

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

The horrific report largely exculpated the ADF’s upper-echelons, although ADF Chief Angus Campbell conceded there was a collective responsibility for generals to be curious about their own institution.

Lieutenant-General Burr rejected calls for his resignation.

“There is a process to be followed here. We need to follow a very deliberate, very methodical and very fair process, ensuring that we respect every individual’s privacy and right of reply. This will take time,” he said.

“It took four and a half years to work through this report. It was delivered one week ago.”

Upon the release of the report, General 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.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison told 4BC Radio that while all soldiers were entitled to the presumption of innocence in criminal proceedings, the terminations were a matter for the ADF.

A thorough process would require patience, the Prime Minister warned.

He said the Defence Minister had set up an oversight panel to review the ADF’s response, and warned a thorough process would require patience.

“This is going to be hard … I can’t put it any other way,” Mr Morrison said.

“It is a very sensitive issue and, yes, our justice system makes the right assumption that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

“If there are any disciplinary actions that occur within the defence forces, they are made by the defence forces, not by ministers. That’s the way the process should be.

“But there should be proper oversight of that to ensure all accountabilities are dealt with.”

But Mr Morrison stressed Australians should continue to be “incredibly proud” of their servicemen and women, the vast majority of whom served with honour.

“What we are talking about here is a small number in a very big defence force,” he said.

“Everyone that has pulled on a uniform has earned and deserves our respect.

“I wouldn’t want any defence force member … to feel that anyone is looking at them differently. I am certainly not.”

The report found evidence of 39 murders of Afghan civilians by elite Australian soldiers.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told Today he trusted General Campbell to review the facts diligently.

“He will look at the individual circumstances or the facts that he has before him, and there will be Defence personnel who are stood down or investigated on a regular basis,” he said.

“It’s obviously a massive workforce and their standards are no different to police officers or other public service employees, so there’s a high standard that is expected.”