Latest news with #SpecialAirServiceRegiment
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Shadow home affairs minister Andrew Hastie vows to revive pride in Australian flag as many ‘disappointed' to see it debased
Shadow home affairs minister Andrew Hastie has claimed many Australians were 'disappointed' to see non-Australian flags flown on the Sydney Harbour Bridge last weekend, as well as protestors burning the national symbol in Melbourne. Major pro-Palestine protests in both state capitals saw a number of signs and flags raised in opposition to Israel, including some which appeared to show support for Hamas. New South Wales Police have since launched a series of investigations into the Sydney Harbour Bridge protesters over reported death chants, waving of terrorist flags and displaying Hamas and Nazi symbols. Mr Hastie is among those who criticised the protests, telling Sky News Australia he believed the majority of Australians would be "disappointed" to the Australian flag demeaned by the actions of protestors. The shadow home affairs minister has recently launched a campaign, Together Under One Flag, in an effort to "affirm" support for the national symbol and show gratitude for what it represents. Mr Hastie, who served with the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) as a Troop Commander, said wearing the Australian flag on his uniform was a reminder of who and what he was fighting for. 'More than 100,000 Australians in the last 100 plus years have died under this flag. It's very, very important,' he said. The shadow home affairs minister said if people wanted to support his campaign were welcome to "join the movement" and order a bumper sticker from his campaign - available for free. "Let people know that you are proud to be an Australian and you have gratitude for what our country is about," he said. Mr Hastie said the Australian flag was the only flag which flew above the Commonwealth Parliament, and the only one that was draped over the coffins of fallen soldiers. Mr Hastie added flags 'mean a lot' and he did not want to diminish the flags of other nations, simply promote a sense of national pride in Australia's. 'I'm not a fan of ISIS flags, of course, or any of those other flags that we've seen flown on our streets over the last few years, but the Australian national flag is the only flag that speaks to all the aspirations of all Australians,' he said. 'When we win a gold medal at the Olympics, guess what flag goes up the flagpole? The Australian flag and I think it's really important internationally that we send the right signal.'
New Straits Times
10-08-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Pioneer ex-VAT 69 commando keeps beaches clean
KUALA LUMPUR: Che Yak @ Embong Ngah, 77, one of the first VAT 69 commandos, now fights a different scourge — litterbugs — walking more than 10 kilometres along Terengganu's beaches, collecting rubbish as part of his daily exercise. Residing in Kampung Rhu Muda, Che Yak begins his three- to four-hour routine as early as 7am. Utusan Malaysia reported that one of the 30 members of the first nucleus troop of VAT 69, Che Yak said he finds great satisfaction in walking long distances, which has become a routine deeply ingrained in him. "Almost every day I walk from my house to Pantai Rhu Muda and continue along the beach, sometimes as far as Pantai Kelulut and Pantai Kekabu. "Since suffering from knee joint problems about five years ago, the distance I cover is no longer as far as before, now around 10 kilometres. "Almost every day I walk from my house to Pantai Rhu Muda and continue along the beach. Since suffering from knee joint problems about five years ago, the distance I cover is now around 10 kilometres. While exercising, I pick up rubbish such as containers and plastic bottles because I enjoy seeing the beach clean," he said. He added that some people have mistaken him for "not right in the head" when they see him in shabby clothes, dragging a stick or carrying a sack of rubbish. "I don't take it to heart and just carry on with my usual exercise," he said. Living with his wife, Siti Rohana Nordin, 57, Che Yak also enjoys gardening and growing flowers as a hobby, as well as caring for several cats at home. Sharing memories from his time in service, Che Yak said his experience battling communist insurgents in Sarawak between 1970 and 1971 remains unforgettable. He recalled how the fort where he and his comrades were stationed came under ambush late at night, sparking a firefight that lasted until early morning, from which they survived. "I began as a member of the police force in June 1969 in Hulu Kinta, Perak, and in October of the same year, I was selected for VAT 69 commando training and underwent basic commando training. "We were trained by a team of instructors from the United Kingdom's Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), and out of all those who joined the training, only 30 of us, including myself, made it to the end, becoming the first nucleus troop of VAT 69. "I retired from the police on Feb 1 2004, at the Terengganu police contingent headquarters. "Now, we are all old, and some of my comrades have passed away," he said. Among the awards he has received are the Pingat Pangkuan Negara, the Pingat Bentara Pasukan Polis, and the Pingat Jasa Pingat Darjah Bentara Pasukan Pahlawan Negara.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Roberts-Smith's rabid band of supporters has an outspoken new member
'That is not the way we fight. We have a long and hard-won reputation as being feared fighters, but fighters who engage according to the Geneva Convention,' d'Hage says. Loading Given many critics' apparent aversion to examining those pages, here is a distillation of key evidence. On April 13, 2009, Ben Roberts-Smith kicked an old man to his knees and instructed a junior soldier, in an exercise of 'blooding', to shoot him in the head. Soon after, he frogmarched a second Afghan man fitted with a prosthetic leg, threw him to the ground, and killed him with a burst of machine gun fire. On October 12, 2012, a third unarmed and detained man was executed by an Afghan partner force member upon Roberts-Smith's instruction. And on November 11, 2012, Ali Jan, a father of three with no established links to the Taliban, was handcuffed and kicked over a small cliff by Roberts-Smith, who then ordered two comrades to drag him to cover, where he was shot dead. At numerous speaking events, Age investigative journalist Nick McKenzie and I have argued the following: It is morally wrong to kill or order the execution of captives. It is strategically wrong because it turns the population further against your mission. All those Australian soldiers bravely patrolling the fields of Uruzgan as a protective force against the Taliban were placed at greater risk. And it is wrong to force an act upon a fellow soldier so destructive of conscience and self-respect. Soldiers who have earned the Special Air Service Regiment's sandy beret are rightly proud. When they returned to civilian life as psychological wrecks because of what they saw and did, as did occur, the damage was obvious. From my own observation, the self-harm to the regiment was the main reason for a brave group of Special Air Service Regiment soldiers to speak up. Nick and I both know they did so with extreme reluctance, all under subpoena, because of a view within the ranks that dobbing in your mate was a worse sin than exposing a war crime. That view was shared by members of the uber wealthy. Billionaire Kerry Stokes has spent millions on Roberts-Smith's case. Multi-millionaire John Singleton funded a full-page newspaper advertisement describing attacks on the war hero as 'disgraceful'. And now Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, is quoted querying why this 'brave and patriotic man' should be 'under such attack'. I can only wonder what is in their minds. Do they believe that in their real world, ruthlessness is a necessity that should be honoured? Last December, my brother Roy and I spoke to a well-heeled audience of Aussie expats in Singapore. We were warned ahead of time that there would be a pro-Roberts-Smith sentiment and opposition expressed to our reporting. Loading The day before, Roy and I had walked the grounds of the Alexandra Hospital. We found a small plaque commemorating the massacre of 250 patients and staff by Japanese forces on February 14, 1942. I spoke the next day of the shock that is still felt about those helpless victims being dragged into the garden and bayonetted to death. And I asked how we could condemn the Japanese while excusing our own. There was no answer.
The Age
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Roberts-Smith's rabid band of supporters has an outspoken new member
'That is not the way we fight. We have a long and hard-won reputation as being feared fighters, but fighters who engage according to the Geneva Convention,' d'Hage says. Loading Given many critics' apparent aversion to examining those pages, here is a distillation of key evidence. On April 13, 2009, Ben Roberts-Smith kicked an old man to his knees and instructed a junior soldier, in an exercise of 'blooding', to shoot him in the head. Soon after, he frogmarched a second Afghan man fitted with a prosthetic leg, threw him to the ground, and killed him with a burst of machine gun fire. On October 12, 2012, a third unarmed and detained man was executed by an Afghan partner force member upon Roberts-Smith's instruction. And on November 11, 2012, Ali Jan, a father of three with no established links to the Taliban, was handcuffed and kicked over a small cliff by Roberts-Smith, who then ordered two comrades to drag him to cover, where he was shot dead. At numerous speaking events, Age investigative journalist Nick McKenzie and I have argued the following: It is morally wrong to kill or order the execution of captives. It is strategically wrong because it turns the population further against your mission. All those Australian soldiers bravely patrolling the fields of Uruzgan as a protective force against the Taliban were placed at greater risk. And it is wrong to force an act upon a fellow soldier so destructive of conscience and self-respect. Soldiers who have earned the Special Air Service Regiment's sandy beret are rightly proud. When they returned to civilian life as psychological wrecks because of what they saw and did, as did occur, the damage was obvious. From my own observation, the self-harm to the regiment was the main reason for a brave group of Special Air Service Regiment soldiers to speak up. Nick and I both know they did so with extreme reluctance, all under subpoena, because of a view within the ranks that dobbing in your mate was a worse sin than exposing a war crime. That view was shared by members of the uber wealthy. Billionaire Kerry Stokes has spent millions on Roberts-Smith's case. Multi-millionaire John Singleton funded a full-page newspaper advertisement describing attacks on the war hero as 'disgraceful'. And now Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, is quoted querying why this 'brave and patriotic man' should be 'under such attack'. I can only wonder what is in their minds. Do they believe that in their real world, ruthlessness is a necessity that should be honoured? Last December, my brother Roy and I spoke to a well-heeled audience of Aussie expats in Singapore. We were warned ahead of time that there would be a pro-Roberts-Smith sentiment and opposition expressed to our reporting. Loading The day before, Roy and I had walked the grounds of the Alexandra Hospital. We found a small plaque commemorating the massacre of 250 patients and staff by Japanese forces on February 14, 1942. I spoke the next day of the shock that is still felt about those helpless victims being dragged into the garden and bayonetted to death. And I asked how we could condemn the Japanese while excusing our own. There was no answer.
The Age
22-05-2025
- The Age
Investigators probe Ben Roberts-Smith over more murders and video drinking from dead man's prosthetic limb
The secretive agency investigating war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith over multiple murders, including cases not canvassed in his marathon defamation trial, has secured the co-operation of new witnesses. Amid the damning fresh evidence is footage of the disgraced ex-soldier swilling beer from the prosthetic leg of an Afghan man he executed. Roberts-Smith's comprehensive loss before the full bench of the Federal Court – which affirmed the finding that the Special Air Service Regiment veteran ordered the murder of four Afghans – paves the way for the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) to move to prosecute the former corporal. The OSI is examining suspected murders beyond the four cases that were part of the ex-soldier's failed bid to clear his name. Five sources with knowledge of the OSI's ongoing four-year investigation said its investigators had secured co-operation from key witnesses who had not participated in Roberts-Smith's defamation trial. The OSI is working closely with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions as it builds its case against Roberts-Smith, having collected statements from over a dozen SASR soldiers who claim Roberts-Smith arranged or participated in executions, including an incident in which he kicked a bound civilian off a small cliff. The OSI has also uncovered a video of Roberts-Smith drinking from the prosthetic leg of a man he had earlier executed during an Easter Sunday 2009 operation targeting a compound called Whiskey 108. The video was filmed in a makeshift bar called the Fat Lady's Arms at the Australian army base in southern Afghanistan and contradicts Roberts-Smith's evidence during his defamation trial when he told Justice Anthony Besanko he had never drunk from the plastic leg.
