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As federal investigators moved through the bustling domestic terminal, the scene was set for a dramatic turn of events. Moments later, the former SAS soldier was apprehended upon disembarking from his flight from Brisbane.
Passengers on the flight were quick to recount the unexpected arrest of Roberts-Smith. One traveler shared, “Our plane had just come to a halt when we noticed two AFP cars outside. Shortly after, we saw a man being escorted into one of the vehicles, followed by his family.”
Another passenger echoed the surprise of the moment, stating, “I just saw federal police pulling over and taking him—whatever his name is—into the vehicle.”
The incident left many witnesses taken aback by the sudden flurry of activity, with one noting, “It’s quite shocking to witness such a commotion.”
“It is a bit of a shock to see the commotion.”
The Victoria Cross recipient is expected to be charged by the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) and the AFP with five counts of war crime murder, including:
- The war crime of murder, in that he intentionally caused the death of a person, on or about 12 April, 2009, at Kakarak, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;
- The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 12 April, 2009, at Kakarak, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;
- The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 11 September, 2012, at Darwan, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan;
- The war crime of murder, with another person, in that they intentionally caused the death of a person, on or about 20 October, 2012, in Syahchow, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan; and,
- The war crime of murder, in that he aided, abetted, counselled or procured another person to intentionally cause the death of a person, on or about 20 October, 2012, at Syahchow, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.
The maximum penalty for the offence of war crime – murder is life imprisonment.
It is the second time the OSI and AFP has laid war crime murder charges against an ADF member in Australia.
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