Ben Roberts-Smith talks Australian Army directives, the soldier’s code and that ‘farcical’ airport arrest

Throughout the interview, the former soldier maintained his innocence against allegations of committing alleged war crimes whilst serving with the Australian Army in Afghanistan.

Of note for the defence community, Roberts-Smith was quizzed on allegations of ‘throw-downs’ or equipment placed on deceased non-combatants in Afghanistan.

“We were told to put weapons on the bodies for the photographs because they wanted it all in one photo, so we could send it back… It was actually a directive from the leadership,” he said.

“If you had an engagement and if you needed to take a photograph for intelligence purposes; 'put their equipment together, put their weapon on their body'. That was sent back, because that was the process of the day, because they (leadership) wanted these things in the photos. So we did it that way.

“It wasn’t a police action, we weren’t collecting evidence. We were just getting it together for intelligence purposes. It comes from the leadership, informed from potentially NATO.”

The former soldier also rejected allegations of shooting or witnessing the shooting of prisoners, ‘blooding’ of ADF soldiers, undertaking or witnessing any other unlawful conduct.

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He also warned the Australian Government against previous and further compensation to the now-Taliban controlled Afghanistan government.

“I think that (compensation) is a very dangerous mistake that they’ve made. I’d go further and say that I have fought the Taliban and have seen how they treat the civilian population,” he said.

"How are we providing aid and funding to the enemy we fought. Why are we paying these death payments when we haven’t even gone through the process yet?

“Our government is saying, ‘you’re guilty’. They were doing that before I’d even been charged.

“Everything I fought for, hasn’t been afforded to me. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”

He also elaborated on an unwritten soldier’s code within the ADF and veterans about talking with the media.

“(There is a code) You don’t talk shit about another operator, without bring them the problem or sorting it out within the unit.

“People were going to the media to target particular people… (But the code was that) if you’ve got a problem, bring it up.”

Roberts-Smith described his arrest in April as ‘farcical’ and a 'show arrest' for the media, immediately following by being detained in isolation at Mascot Police Station and later with 10 days at Silverwater Prison. He also alleged that he’d previously offered to surrender to police twice within the prior six months.

“(After landing at the airport we could see a) line of black SUVs on the tarmac with flashing lights. I said ‘that’s not for me, I’m not that important’,” Roberts-Smith said.

“(Arrested inside a plane on the tarmac) in front of a full plane, 200 people. It’s farcical… If I was such a high risk, why was I never handcuffed, even at the police station?

“They asked me to get up. They take me off the plane, parade me around. They tried to confirm my guilt with the public.

“I said ‘I can’t believe you’ve done this with the kids here’ and the response was ‘I’m really sorry about that. It wasn’t our call’.

“It was so unnecessary. That’s a memory that will never ever leave them (my kids.) That’s something that will undoubtedly shape their life.

“It was a show arrest. Everybody knows that. Why involve my family, why involve the media the way they did.

“I so regret that they made that decision to publicise it that the way they did. With no thought to what my daughters had to go through. That whole arrest stinks.”

The former soldier warned late in the interview that the public could make up their own minds and that ‘the truth will come out’.

Robert Dougherty

Author

Robert is a senior journalist who has previously worked for Seven West Media in Western Australia, as well as Fairfax Media and Australian Community Media in New South Wales. He has produced national headlines, photography and videography of emergency services, business, community, defence and government news across Australia. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Public Relations and Journalism at Curtin University, attended student exchange program with Fudan University and holds Tier 1 General Advice certification for Kaplan Professional. Reach out via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via LinkedIn.

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