Accused war criminal Roberts-Smith vows to clear name
Veteran medalist Ben Roberts-Smith has vowed to use his upcoming trial over war crimes allegations to clear his name.
In his first public statement since his highly publicized arrest, the Victoria Cross recipient struck a defiant tone as he vowed to fight the charges against him.
“For the last 10 years my family and I have been subjected to a campaign to convince Australians that I acted inappropriately during my service in Afghanistan,” he told reporters on the Gold Coast on Sunday.
“As I have always maintained, I categorically deny all of these allegations. Although I would prefer that these charges not be brought, I will use this opportunity to finally clear my name.”
Australia’s most decorated living soldier described his arrest, which took place on the Sydney Airport tarmac, as an “unnecessary spectacle” and requested the privacy of the family he was traveling with at the time.
“I understand that this is an unprecedented situation and the public interest is huge and the media has a job to do and they should be allowed to do it,” he said.
“But I ask the media to please allow my family privacy at this time, especially my children, who are unfortunately suffering from a deliberate, sensational arrest last week that was an unnecessary spectacle.
“I know this journey will be long. I understand this journey will be difficult, but I can tell everyone that I have never run away from a fight in my life.
“I will never give up and I will always be in the fight.”
Roberts-Smith, who did not take questions after the prepared statement, left prison for the first time in a week on Friday after being released on bail in a Sydney court.
The former SAS soldier was arrested in April, accused of killing or ordering the killing of five unarmed detainees while serving in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.
The prosecution stated that the allegations against Roberts-Smith were extremely serious and that the case against Roberts-Smith was strong, including eyewitnesses to the alleged murders.
The decorated veteran is accused of directly killing two Afghan men and aiding, abetting or causing the murder of three more.
The court has previously heard that in some cases there was evidence of objects being thrown at dead non-combatants to make them appear to have been involved in hostilities.
Roberts-Smith has repeatedly declared her innocence, including during an unsuccessful libel case against broadcaster Nine over articles detailing alleged war crimes.
A Federal Court judge found that on the balance of probabilities the murder charges were correct and that the 47-year-old failed to overturn them on subsequent appeals.
