Share and Follow
Australia’s most decorated soldier, Roberts-Smith, known for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan, was apprehended at Sydney Domestic Airport yesterday. He now faces charges of five counts of murder related to war crimes.
The incidents in question reportedly occurred in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.
Roberts-Smith has persistently maintained his innocence against these accusations.
In a statement, Rinehart expressed concerns, saying, “Have we forgotten that our country’s defence is currently lacking, especially in these uncertain times? The morale of our defence force has hit its lowest point since its inception, with personnel numbers falling short and recruitment efforts struggling.”
Rinehart further argued, “It seems the more than $300 million of taxpayer money could have been better allocated towards bolstering Australia’s security, ensuring the safety of Australians from terrorism, and removing terrorists and their allies from our nation.”
“Like many Australians, I hope that compassion and the Aussie spirit is extended to Ben and his family and his duty to our country in the hardship of war is never forgotten.”
“I remain steadfast in my support of Ben Roberts-Smith despite news of his arrest today,” Hanson said yesterday.
“Ben, his immediate and broader defence family need the Australian people’s support right now and I will not abandon him like so many other politicians.
“Ben was disgracefully arrested in front of his twin 15-year-old girls.”
She said Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator had “spent $300 million over 10 years to get to this point”.
The investigation into Roberts-Smith was opened in 2021, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said yesterday.
Abbott said he had an “instinctive sympathy” for Roberts-Smith and queried why charges were not brought earlier.
“If Ben Roberts-Smith transgressed, why wasn’t this picked up prior to his gallantry awards and why wasn’t any culture of brutality towards prisoners detected by his more senior officers, and dealt with quickly, rather than being allowed to fester, as has been alleged, for over a decade?” he said.
OSI director of investigations Ross Barnett yesterday elaborated on the length of the investigation, pointing out that there was no access to crime scenes 9000km away, nor even an autopsy of the alleged victims.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.