CDF & former CAF Angus Campbell cannot "walk past" the ABC 4 Corners story about the SAS execution of a bomb maker : Campbell owes it to his soldiers and Australia to explain what standard operating procedures are for a soldier confronted by a potentially armed and primed bomb maker

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                                  As Chief Of Army Angus Campbell considered women serving 

                                 in support roles in Afghanistan as being"in combat".Strange then 

                                 that he agrees that SAS on patrols were not in "the heat of battle".

LT Gen Angus Campbell, the current Chief Of Defence Forces and former Chief Of Army seems to have become fond of the phrase "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept"; often referring to what he might have "walked past" with regards the SAS' alleged misconduct. 

Meanwhile Campbell has had nothing to say about the ABC Four Corners story below, one of many aired over the past few years as part of the ABC's  investigation into the SAS' alleged misconduct. 

In the story below the SAS soldier is accused of executing an unarmed civilian. However, as even the ABC has (perhaps unwittingly) admitted, the man had been identified by bomb detection dog Quake as a likely target. 

The SAS soldier seems to have taken the only option available to him to ensure his safety and that of his team, while carrying out his duties in clearing the area of bomb makers. If Campbell feels there were other options available, he should say so. If not he ought to demand an apology from the ABC. He owes that to the soldiers under his command, and to the Australian public. 

TO BE READ WITH 

The so-called SAS execution of an "unarmed man": ABC admits that SAS were looking for a bomb maker and that the Army dog seems to have identified him as a bomb maker with a bomb, but insists it was an execution of an unarmed man



March 16, 2020

by Ganesh Sahathevan

PHOTO: The man tries to fight off the dog as Soldier C arrives. (Supplied)

In ABC Four Corners own words: 

It is a bright day in May 2012, and 3 Squadron SAS is looking for an insurgent bombmaker.

The handler, with his dog, follows the patrol scout, who Four Corners has called Soldier C, through a field towards a mud compound.

The helicopters are guiding them to a person who has been spotted in a wheat field ahead.

Amongst the wheat, the dog handler and Soldier C come across a bearded man in his 20s being mauled by the dog, called Quake.

"Quake, leave!" yells the dog handler.

As the dog lets go, Soldier C trains his M4 assault rifle on the man from a range of between 1 and 2 metres.

After more than 20 seconds the soldier turns to the dog handler.

"You want me to drop this c***?"

"I don't know mate. Hit ***** up," replies the dog handler, referring to the patrol commander, who has taken up a position nearby.

The soldier turns to the commander.

"You want me to drop this c***?"

The soldier asks the commander a second time: "You want me to drop this c***?"

The patrol commander's response is inaudible on the video.

Soldier C fires the first shot into the Afghan man on the ground.

As the dog streaks towards the prone man, and the handler calls for him to come back, the soldier pumps two more bullets into the victim.

The Afghan man is dead.

Fewer than three minutes has elapsed between the SAS landing their chopper, and the killing in the wheat field.

In other words, a job well done. Army dog Quake had repeatedly identified the threat and defensive measures were taken. 

The ABC has reported that the Afghan was unarmed but, as reported, this man was a bomb maker, who could have had a bomb on him. 

END