War crime allegations uncovered during inquiry into SAS, commandos yet to be referred to AFP
The Australian Federal Police says it is yet to receive any referrals about alleged war crimes from a secretive Defence inquiry which is examining the conduct of special forces.
This week the ABC revealed New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Paul Brereton is helping the Inspector General Australian Defence Force (IGADF) as he conducts a sweeping review of Australia's elite soldiers, the SAS and commandos.
The inquiry has already heard from one serving commando who alleges he helped cover up a war crime in Afghanistan.
Sergeant Kevin Frost has also gone public with his personal account of hiding the unlawful execution of a prisoner of war.
"The particular incident that I was involved in resulted in the POW that I had captured actually being executed, murdered," Sergeant Frost told the ABC.
Loading...Little is known about the Inspector General's review, which is run independently to the army chain of command, but it is believed to have been underway for several months.
In a statement to the ABC the Australian Federal Police confirmed it was yet to hear from the Defence Force.
"At this time the AFP has not received any referral in respect of the current IGADF inquiry," an AFP spokesperson said.
On Thursday Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan confirmed the AFP could be in a position to further investigate any referrals of war crime allegations, if approached by the Defence Force or individual military personnel.
"We do have war crimes provisions within the Criminal Code," Minister Keenan said.
"If any allegations of criminality are put before the police then the police will follow their procedures to investigate".