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A new police taskforce investigating former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has uncovered scraps of paper with the hand-written names and addresses of SAS soldiers, created as part of an alleged plot to threaten witnesses to a war crimes inquiry.
The discovery of the scraps of paper, along with witness testimony alleging that Mr Roberts-Smith was behind the 2018 plot to intimidate witnesses, is the biggest breakthrough yet for the recently launched Australian Federal Police taskforce as it investigates the former soldier for serious criminal offences.
Former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith has denied any involvement in the intimidation plot.
Credit:Cole Bennetts
If it was proven that Mr Roberts-Smith had sought to threaten any of his fellow Special Air Service Regiment soldiers to stop them testifying at the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes, he could face up to five years in jail.
Australia’s Federal Police are requesting new powers that would make possession of “propaganda” and “terrorist” manifestos illegal to possess and share, as intelligence agencies predict a terrorist attack within 12 months.
Banning Possession of Nazi, ISIS Flags ‘Overkill’: Australian Law Council
The Law Council of Australia is warning against criminalising the possession of extremist memorabilia, calling it overkill and saying it would have “unintended consequences.”
Richard Wilson SC, the co-chair of the Council’s National Criminal Law Committee, was responding to comments yesterday by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) calling for new laws to address gaps in the monitoring of extremist activity.
One recommendation from the AFP was that the possession and sharing of propaganda, flags, and insignia along with online content from extremist groups such as ISIS or the Nazis be criminalised.
Police confirm new investigation launched into allegations linked to Ben Roberts-Smith during Senate hearing
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Ben Roberts-Smith says the allegations were not put to him by Channel 9.
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Australian Federal Police (AFP) have confirmed during a Senate inquiry that a new investigation has been launched into allegations linked to Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith.
Key points:
It says the material was passed on by the journalist who produced the story
Mr Roberts-Smith says the allegations are entirely untrue
AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney was asked a series of questions when he appeared before a parliamentary hearing about a Nine Network report that claimed the SAS veteran buried USB drives in his backyard.