Australia’s war crimes special investigator and Australian Federal Police (AFP) have asked the federal anti-corruption commission to investigate reports that operational details about Ben Roberts-Smith’s arrest were known to journalists before it occurred. The request focuses on whether information was improperly disclosed ahead of the arrest and concerns the circumstances surrounding media coverage. Roberts-Smith, a former Australian SAS soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, is charged with five counts of war crime murder. The charges relate to allegations that he killed unarmed civilians during his service in Afghanistan.
The reports say Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney Airport on 7 April. According to the accounts, the war crimes investigator tells Senate estimates that he was surprised journalists had prior knowledge of the arrest. The AFP and the investigator then seek the anti-corruption commission’s scrutiny to determine how any details may have been obtained or communicated. The request does not indicate any finding of wrongdoing, but aims to establish whether leaks occurred and whether any improper access or disclosure took place.
