Australia's War Hero Charged with War Crimes

0:00Australia's most decorated living soldier, Ben Robert Smith, faces five charges of war-crime murder after his arrest at Sydney Airport this week. Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, who served alongside him in Afghanistan Special Air Service, broke his silence, stressing Robert Smith, deserves the, presumption of innocence, but reminding everyone that none of us are above the law. Hastie testified in Robert Smith's 2022 defamation trial against nine newspapers, describing a well-known rumor that Robert Smith kicked an unarmed person under control off a cliff. He also shared the widespread view in the sass that Robert Smith was a bully, saying he no longer felt proud of the man. The court cited with the papers in June 2023, ruling on the balance of probabilities that war-crimes happened. Reactions poured in from across the political spectrum. Hastie called the arrest a sad and sobering day for Australia and veterans, noting most serve with honor in tough Afghanistan fights.

1:00Former Prime Minister John Howard echoed that no one is beyond the law's reach. Meanwhile, some coalition MPs, Pauline Hanson and Bob Katters slammed the process while billionaire Gina Reinhardt said she just doesn't understand. It. Supporters, including family, resent Hastie for a subpoena testimony, but he clarified no personal beef exists. Independently, Kotter plans a bill next month to shield charge veterans' identities and ensure juries of combat soldiers judged by wartime standards, standing firm behind Robert Smith until proven guilty. This saga underscores the hard balance between honoring service and upholding justice, leaving vets to navigate in perfect humanity under scrutiny. Stay informed with Sydney News Today, AI-powered updates. I'm Corey with the story.