[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [CRIME]

3 clusters · 9 sources · 23 days · First seen · Last updated

War crimes trial of Ben Roberts-Smith

Overview

Ben Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal and Victoria Cross awardee, is facing five counts of the war crime of murder related to the execution of Afghan detainees. He denies all charges.

In late September 2026, a judge granted Roberts-Smith permission to attend the National Commemorative Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, marking the 25th anniversary of the Afghanistan War. His presence at the event, which honors Australian personnel who died or were wounded in the conflict, was noted as a potential point of contention.

In mid-October 2026, radio station 2GB proceeded with a recorded interview between host Ben Fordham and Roberts-Smith. The broadcast was subject to legal scrutiny to prevent prejudice to the upcoming trial proceedings.

During the 150-minute interview, Roberts-Smith explicitly rejected claims that he murdered or ordered the murder of unarmed detainees, stating, “I didn’t bloody murder anyone,” and denying he saw anyone else shoot prisoners. He also addressed allegations regarding the treatment of a deceased Afghan man, denying he drank from the man’s prosthetic leg while noting that military dark humour is often misconstrued. Roberts-Smith, who is currently out on bail, is preparing for trial following a Federal Court defamation ruling in which a judge found him responsible for several killings, including the machine-gunning of an unarmed prisoner. The media appearance coincided with a broader publicity campaign, including the launch of a new clothing line.

Entities

Ben Roberts-Smith · Ben Fordham · 2GB · Anthony Albanese · Australian Defence Force

Timeline

  1. [CRIME] 6 sources
    Ben Roberts-Smith denies war crimes allegations in media interview

    Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith denied murdering or ordering the deaths of unarmed detainees in Afghanistan during a lengthy interview with 2GB's Ben Fordham.

  2. [CRIME] 4 sources
    Ben Roberts-Smith to be interviewed by 2GB ahead of war crimes trial

    2GB radio station plans to air an interview with Ben Roberts-Smith ahead of his trial for five counts of the war crime of murder involving Afghan detainees.

  3. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Ben Roberts-Smith granted permission to attend Afghanistan War commemoration

    Ben Roberts-Smith has been granted permission to attend a major Afghanistan War 25th-anniversary service in Canberra, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to speak.

Sources

americanindependent.com · brisbanetimes.com.au · freerepublic.com · mumbrella.com.au · smh.com.au · theage.com.au · thenightly.com.au · theqldr.com.au · thewest.com.au

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history