Name: Video shows SAS soldiers discussing a fellow operator apparently killing a 'compliant' prisoner in Afghanistan - ABC News
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Video shows SAS soldiers discussing a fellow operator apparently killing a 'compliant' prisoner in Afghanistan - ABC News

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Video shows SAS soldiers discussing a fellow operator apparently killing a 'compliant' prisoner in AfghanistanShareVideo footage obtained by ABC Investigations shows members of an SAS patrol in Afghanistan talking about the apparent execution of a "totally compliant" prisoner by one of their comrades.The patrol commander describes the incident as "f***ing bullshit"."I'm not happy with it," he says in the footage.The metadata of the footage, taken from the helmet camera of one of the SAS soldiers, reveals the conversation took place a day after an operation in the village of Shina in Uruzgan Province in mid-May 2012.During that raid, by members of 3 Squadron SAS, three Afghans were killed. that two of the bodies were photographed by the SAS with the same gun — an AK-47 assault rifle with teal-coloured tape around the stock.It is understood the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) is investigating the killings at Shina and the alleged planting of the weapon to justify the men's deaths.The new footage reveals disquiet among SAS patrol members about the killing of a prisoner by a senior operator.The video shows three SAS operators standing by the mud wall of a compound during an operation, while other soldiers in the patrol take up positions nearby.In the video, the operators are discussing the apparent killing of an Afghan prisoner by a senior soldier."Mate, it's ridiculous," says one."I know, it's ridiculous. If I thought it would make any difference, I'd say something to him," says the patrol commander, speaking about the senior operator."His eyes rolled back like a shark. He's a f***ing idiot.""He was doing exactly what he said," says a third operator, referring to the prisoner."He was totally compliant," says the patrol commander. "Mate, I was more worried about getting …""Getting shot," interrupts the first soldier."… getting shot while he was swinging his weapon around," continues the patrol commander."I was on the other side from where the PUC was. Thought I was going to get shot," says the third patrol member.A PUC is a Person Under Confinement, or a detainee."It's f***ing bullshit. I'm not happy with it," says the patrol commander."One of the engineers went, 'Yeah it happened, he just took him around the corner and f***ing shot him.'""You can't do it in front of anyone but a f***ing operator," says one of the operators."You can't do it in front of anyone. You don't do it front of anyone, it's so wrong on so many levels," says the patrol commander.No killings are shown on the helmet camera footage.The ABC knows the identity of the three men talking in the footage, but has chosen not to name them.The SAS operator they are talking about story in March, and was identified as 'Soldier B'.In the story, an SAS patrol member accused Soldier B of taking away an Afghan man with non-life threatening injuries.The man was later found dead, and an Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission investigation found he was a civilian who had been beaten to death.Another video shot earlier that day, on the same helmet camera as the conversation between the patrol members, shows Afghan men being rounded up and detained by the patrol.The footage could be key evidence for the IGADF inquiry.The inquiry has interviewed hundreds of witnesses, including SAS operators, about more than 55 separate incidents of alleged breaches of the laws of war by Australian special forces in Afghanistan.When the ABC contacted Defence in July about the it refused to comment."It is not appropriate for Defence to comment on matters that may or may not be the subject of the [Inspector-General's] Afghanistan Inquiry," said a spokesperson at the time.For this story, a spokesperson said Defence "strongly supports the IGADF Afghanistan Inquiry, and respects the integrity and independence of the process"."Until the report is released, and in order to protect the integrity and independence of the Inquiry, it is not appropriate for Defence to comment further."21 Oct 202021 Oct 2020Wed 21 Oct 2020 at 6:58pm, 21 Oct 202021 Oct 2020Wed 21 Oct 2020 at 9:40pmMore on:

Video shows SAS soldiers discussing a fellow operator apparently killing a 'compliant' prisoner in AfghanistanShareVideo footage obtained by ABC Investigations shows members of an SAS patrol in Afghanistan talking about the apparent execution of a "totally compliant" prisoner by one of their comrades.The patrol commander describes the incident as "f***ing bullshit"."I'm not happy with it," he says in the footage.The metadata of the footage, taken from the helmet camera of one of the SAS soldiers, reveals the conversation took place a day after an operation in the village of Shina in Uruzgan...

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Video shows SAS soldiers discussing a fellow operator apparently killing a 'compliant' prisoner in Afghanistan - ABC News

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