Australian defence minister says she was ‘physically ill’ over war crimes report

Australia’s defence minister said today that a damning report into alleged war crimes by special forces in Afghanistan had made her ‘physically ill’, as footage showed an SAS soldier shooting an unarmed man as he cowered in a field. 

Linda Reynolds said she was ‘totally and utterly shocked and mortified’ after the four-year inquiry found evidence that Australian troops had killed 39 unarmed civilians and prisoners during the US-led war in Afghanistan.    

The findings included alleged cases where patrol members would shoot a prisoner to achieve their first kill, a practice known as ‘blooding’, as well as planting weapons and radios to support false claims that their victims were killed in action. 

Some of the atrocities allegedly committed by Australian SAS members were so horrendous that more than 50 pages in Thursday’s report had to be redacted.  

Helmet camera footage which came to light earlier this year shows an SAS operative firing fatal gunshots at an unarmed Afghan man in what another soldier called a ‘straight-up execution’. 

Thousands of decorated soldiers could now face having their medals stripped after the 465-page report said commanders who oversaw atrocities could not ‘in good conscience’ retain their awards.   

One video (pictured) shows an Australian soldier opening fire on a man as he cowers in a field at the village of Deh Jawz-e Hasanza in Afghanistan and is under investigation

Body cam footage shows prisoners by a wall during an Australian special forces operation in Afghanistan

Body cam footage shows prisoners by a wall during an Australian special forces operation in Afghanistan 

A woman holds her child in body-camera footage from Australian SAS troops, who unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners and civilians, according to Thursday's damning report

A woman holds her child in body-camera footage from Australian SAS troops, who unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners and civilians, according to Thursday’s damning report 

Thousands of Australian soldiers could have their medals stripped after a report found there was no longer 'sustained outstanding service' after a damning inquiry exposed a litany of alleged war crimes

Thousands of Australian soldiers could have their medals stripped after a report found there was no longer ‘sustained outstanding service’ after a damning inquiry exposed a litany of alleged war crimes

Major General Paul Brereton’s investigation took four and a half years to scrutinise the conduct of special forces soldiers between 2005 and 2016.

More than 26,000 Australians served in Afghanistan during that time, with up to 3,000 in the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG).

The report recommended that a Meritorious Unit Citation awarded to the special ops unit as a whole should be revoked in the light of the findings.   

‘What this report discloses is disgraceful and a profound betrayal of Australian Defence Force professional standards and expectations. It is not meritorious,’ the judge wrote. 

‘Revocation of the award of the meritorious unit citation would be an effective demonstration of the collective responsibility and accountability of SOTG as a whole for those events.’ 

A case-by-case analysis will be undertaken for the cancellation of individual awards such as gallantry, valour and distinguished service.

With 39 Afghans allegedly killed at the hands of Australian servicemen, 19 individuals may be referred for criminal prosecution. 

Australian media mogul Kerry Stokes has offered to fund the legal costs of the soldiers accused of war crimes and others dragged into the saga, according to his spokesman. 

A fund he has already established can be used to support the soldiers during the investigation by a special prosecutorial unit in the Department of Home Affairs, according to the AFR.

The money could be spent on legal fees, as well as mental health treatment, but Mr Stokes does not control the fund directly and its executors would make the decision.  

 

Media mogul and Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes (pictured) has offered to fund the legal costs of the 25 accused soldiers and others dragged into the saga

Media mogul and Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes (pictured) has offered to fund the legal costs of the 25 accused soldiers and others dragged into the saga

‘It is difficult to see how any commander at the Special Operations Task Group, Squadron or Troop level, under whose command or “on whose watch” any substantiated incident referred to in this report occurred, could in good conscience retain a distinguished service award in respect of that command,’ the report summarised.  

The Australian Defence Force report uncovered an alleged 39 unlawful killings, along with deceit and cover-ups, by 25 current or former SAS personnel. 

The soldiers are accused of engaging in body count competitions and torturing civilians, as well as allegations of drug and alcohol abuse. 

The inquiry recommended soldiers’ medals be reviewed and has already recommended certain individuals from certain units and deployment rotations be stripped.

The identity of the men has been redacted. 

The findings point to a culture of violence, mistreatment of war prisoners and secrecy (pictured, pages of the redacted report)

The findings point to a culture of violence, mistreatment of war prisoners and secrecy (pictured, pages of the redacted report)

The inquiry’s findings point to a culture of violence, mistreatment of war prisoners, and secrecy that allegedly covered up executions.

In light of what has been labelled the ‘most shameful episode in Australia’s military history’, the SAS second squadron will be disbanded, and soldiers could be stripped of their medals and potentially be prosecuted for war crimes.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it felt ‘disgust’ after viewing the contents of the report but also stated the inquiry was an ‘important step towards justice’ for the ‘unforgivable’ alleged crimes.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s office on Thursday to express his deepest sorrow and assure him that a special investigator would be brought in to prosecute those involved.

The Afghanistan independent Human Rights Commission released a statement condemning the actions of Australian special forces.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had called Afghan President to express his sorrow

The Afghan Government said they were disgusted by the report (pictured, president, Ashraf Ghani)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s office earlier today to express his deepest sorrow and assure him that a special investigator would be brought in to prosecute those involved

‘Clearly demonstrates that Australian forces engaged in murder and brutalisation of Afghans, including children, through deliberate inhumane acts of violence behind which was a consensus that Afghan life, whether of men, women or children, had no inherent worth or dignity,’ the statement said.

‘Only through a series of independent inquiries will we uncover the true extent of this disregard for Afghan life, which normalised murder, and resulted in war crimes.’

Key findings from the report: 

  • Special forces were responsible for 39 unlawful killings, most were prisoners, and were deliberately covered up. 
  • Thirty-nine Afghans were unlawfully killed in 23 incidents, either by special forces or at the instruction of special forces. 
  • None of the killings took place in the heat of battle. 
  • All the killings occurred in circumstances which, if accepted by a jury, would constitute the war crime of murder.  
  • There have been 25 perpetrators identified either as principals or accessories. Some are still serving in the ADF. 

 

Human Rights Watch Australia director Elaine Pearson told Al Jazeera Afghan victims deserve swift and independent justice for the ‘deliberate and cold-blooded killings’.

Speaking to BBC, she said: ‘Ultimately, if we’re talking about accountability, this should not just stop with the people who pulled the trigger and killed these people in Afghanistan.

‘This is also about command responsibility and so I think that it’s very important that those who knew or who should have known are also held to account and are held criminally liable for these acts.

‘Because ultimately, this was a culture where killings were normalised, in some cases, encouraged. That culture really needs to change.’

Amnesty International Australia said although it is important to bring justice, families of the alleged victims should be of equal priority.

‘The full impact upon the families and communities of these 39 murders must be fully explored and appropriate support provided to those families and communities,’ they said.

Australia Governor-General David Hurley, who was chief of the ADF when the alleged war crimes were committed, offered condolences to the Afghan victims’ families.

He said the ‘unforgivable atrocities’ were committed by ‘a small number of individuals and deliberately concealed from immediate chains of command’.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd said he’s ‘disgusted’ that Australian soldiers serving in Afghanistan could have committed cold-blooded murder.

Mr Rudd was Australia’s leader during part of the military engagement in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant General Angus Campbell (pictured) released the report on Thursday and blasted the culture in the SAS

Lieutenant General Angus Campbell (pictured) released the report on Thursday and blasted the culture in the SAS

Pages upon pages of the 456 page report were redacted for security purposes  (pictured) while individual words and phrases are all that is visible on other pages

Pages upon pages of the 456 page report were redacted for security purposes  (pictured) while individual words and phrases are all that is visible on other pages

‘These accounts represent flagrant violations of our solemn legal obligations … as well as a betrayal of the moral and ethical code that Australians expect their military to advance and defend,’ Mr Rudd said.

The Australian Government said it would pay compensation to Afghan families whose loved ones were murdered by Australian soldiers.

Up to 3,000 soldiers could be stripped of their Meritorious Unit Citation – a medal handed out for ‘sustained outstanding service’ in the special forces.

Potential criminal trials are expected to be heard in the Supreme Court and not a closed-door military tribunal, if the offences rise to the level of war crimes.

These cases could take many years and cost both the government and soldiers huge sums of money.    

The alleged crimes: A timeline

2006

* First recorded alleged murder of wounded Afghan prisoner

2009

* Alleged murders of Afghan locals by ADF members with complicity of patrol commander

2010

* Alleged assault and cruel treatment of Afghan prisoner

* Alleged murders of Afghan prisoners with complicity of patrol commander and deletion of evidence to conceal killings

2012

* Various instances of alleged civilian murders by Australian soldiers

* Several alleged murders of prisoners and use of ‘throwdowns’ to conceal killings

* Alleged murders of Afghan locals surrendering to Australian troops

* Alleged assault and cruel treatment of Afghan prisoner

* Alleged murders of Afghan combatants separated from their weapons

2013

* Alleged murder of civilians

* Alleged murder of prisoners

2016

* Inspector-General of ADF asked to investigate rumours of misconduct and war crimes by Australian troops in Afghanistan

* Justice Paul Brereton and his team interviewed more than 400 witnesses and examined tens of thousands of documents during four-year review

2020

* Justice Brereton finalises inquiry

* Chief of Defence Angus Campbell published highly-redacted version of final report

* Credible evidence 25 current and former ADF personnel have committed war crimes

* 19 allegations referred to Australian Federal Police for possible prosecution

* 39 Afghans believed to have been murdered by Australian troops between 2006 and 2016 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk