Soldiers acquitted over child deaths
Dan Oakes, Rafael Epstein
June 23, 2011
TWO commandos accused of killing five Afghan children in a disastrous night-time raid have been exonerated, ending a
two-year battle to clear their names.
The two special forces soldiers, known only as Sergeant J and Lance Corporal D, released a statement last night saying
they would carry the burden of the civilians' deaths for the rest of their lives, and thanking their fellow soldiers for
standing by them throughout their ordeal.
The Herald can reveal that the military prosecutor who made the decision to charge them was recently reappointed for
another two years.
The Director of Military Prosecutions, Lyn McDade, was fiercely criticised for her decision to charge the two men.
She was dealt a heavy blow last month when a military judge threw out manslaughter charges against the two commandos
before the trial began.
The Herald understands there was deep resentment within the senior ranks of the Australian Defence Force over
Brigadier McDade's reappointment, because of her decision to prosecute the commandos.
A third soldier, the lieutenant-colonel in command of the raid, still faces a court martial at which the prosecutor will
allege there were serious flaws in the planning of the raid.
The two commandos were part of a small force that approached a compound in Oruzgan province on the night of February
12, 2009.
After being fired at by a man from the compound, they returned fire and threw grenades into the room the gunfire was
coming from, killing five children and an adult. The commandos were charged over the deaths last September.
The prosecution was the first time Australian soldiers had been charged for civilian casualties resulting from troops
fighting under orders.
"We need no reminding that our actions contributed to the death of five innocent children. We will carry that burden for
the rest of our lives,'' the two soldiers said. ''However, we would like people to understand two things: firstly, we did not
choose to fight the Afghan male in proximity to children. He forced his callous and reckless choice upon all of us.
Secondly, if there had been another reasonable option available to us that reduced the risk of injury to civilians, we
wouldn't have hesitated to take it.
''We think it is important to remember that throughout our court martial, the prosecution refused to say what other
option we should have taken. We don't think there was one."
This Arse Clown has NEVER SERVED as a Soldier.
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