VC hero Roberts-Smith denies execution claims
Ben Roberts-Smith has furiously denied claims he instigated a 2012 Afghanistan killing.
Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated former soldier, has furiously rejected claims aired on Sunday night by Nine Entertainment Co that he instigated a 2012 execution, claiming they are an attempt to improperly influence and official war crimes inquiry.
Nine’s 60 Minutes program last night named Mr Roberts-Smith as the alleged instigator of the murder of Ali Jan, who the program claimed was an Afghan farmer caught up in a major Australian military operation in September 2012.
Citing two anonymous sources who, the program said, were serving SAS members, 60 Minutes alleged Mr Roberts-Smith kicked Ali Jan off a cliff then encouraged a second soldier to shoot him dead. Ali Jan was allegedly handcuffed and under confinement at the time.
The allegation is not new, but last night’s program was the first time Mr Roberts-Smith, who was awarded both the Victoria Cross and the Medal of Gallantry, was publicly named in connection to it.
“I categorically deny the allegations made against me in tonight’s 60 Minutes program,’’ he said in a statement. “I am concerned that tonight’s story and the previous publications by the SMH/Age are an attempt to improperly influence the outcome of the (Inspector-General of the Defence Force) inquiry.’’
Mr Roberts-Smith said the two anonymous sources quoted on the program spoke in a way that suggested they had not actually witnessed the alleged killing of Ali Jan. “None of the witnesses on tonight’s broadcast provided any direct evidence of any sort to support their allegations,’’ he said.
Mr Roberts-Smith said he was “appalled’’ that both he and his colleagues were being traduced in such a manner and expressed astonishment that Nine cleared the program for broadcast, given the strength of the evidence.
“It is of serious concern to me and my lawyers that journalists have relied on such demonstrably weak evidence to support false allegations,’’ he said.
Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine Entertainment Co for defamation over a series of articles that he claims portray him as a bully, a domestic abuser and a war criminal.
The killing is reportedly the subject of a criminal investigation by the Australian Federal Police and an inquiry into war crimes being carried out by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force.
West Australian MP Andrew Hastie, a former SAS captain and Afghan veteran, last night revealed his personal experience of how things can go wrong in war.
On his first mission to Afghanistan he called in an air attack on approaching Taliban soldiers but US helicopters misjudged the co-ordinates and fired missiles at the wrong target. Innocent civilians were killed in the attack, which haunts Mr Hastie to this day.
“My heart just sank, like it just dropped through the floor,” Mr Hastie said.
“We went out there, and there were two little bodies, six and eight years old. It was obvious they were children.”
Through tears, Mr Hastie described his meeting with the boy’s grieving family.
“I said to the uncle ‘I’m the one who gave the order and I’m sorry’. And he said ‘I forgive you’. Big relief.”
