Australia’s most decorated living veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been charged with five counts of war crime murder. The former Special Air Service Regiment corporal is accused of killing five unarmed Afghan civilians during his deployment in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2012.
Police arrested Roberts-Smith at Sydney Airport after his arrival from Brisbane. He is accused of ordering or being present when subordinates killed detainees who were not actively participating in hostilities.
The charges mark only the second time an Australian Afghanistan veteran has faced war crime accusations. A military report from 2020 found evidence that elite SAS units unlawfully killed 39 Afghan civilians.
Roberts-Smith, who received the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry, previously faced defamation lawsuits over similar allegations. A civil court in 2023 ruled he likely killed four noncombatants unlawfully. However, criminal prosecution requires proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Roberts-Smith was honored with the Victoria Cross in 2011 and met Queen Elizabeth II. His arrest signals a serious legal reckoning for one of Australia's most celebrated military figures.