Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes and other Seven West Media directors could be in big trouble as a former SAS soldier has been arrested in Sydney charged with obstructing/hindering/intimidating a Commonwealth official and causing harm to a law officer. The arrest is linked to the ongoing war crimes investigations run by federal agencies.
It has been reported that the former SAS soldier is “Person 5” who gave evidence for Ben Roberts-Smith last week and on Tuesday this week in his defamation trial against Nine.
A quick overview of the matter is that in the years between 2005 and 2016 some Australian SAS soldiers are alleged to have committed war crimes including murder in Afghanistan. The Brereton Inquiry was set up in 2016 and delivered its final report on 6 November 2020. The report found evidence of 39 murders of civilians and prisoners by (or at the instruction of) members of the Australian special forces, which were subsequently covered up by ADF personnel.
Since then, there are a number of related ongoing investigations to determine if criminal charges can be instituted. (Click here to read more) Media started reporting some of the alleged murders and other alleged war crimes and named Ben Roberts-Smith who instituted defamation proceedings.
Nick McKenzie, one of the journalists being sued by Ben Roberts Smith tweeted on Wednesday (27/4/22) “Ben Roberts-Smith’s key defamation case rebuttal witness was in court this week, denying war crimes. Hours after he finished giving evidence, he was confronted by federal war crimes detectives. He’s now in a court cell, charged with obstructing these detectives. Extraordinary.” (Click here to see on Twitter)
“Person 5” was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon (27/4/22) and is allowed to travel to his overseas home until he is next required in court.
Further details were reported later: The veteran had returned to his hotel room when he was confronted by Australian Federal Police who had a warrant for his mobile phone, NCA Newswire understands. It’s understood the SAS veteran allegedly pushed one of the officers away and told them not to touch him before he was arrested and had his devices confiscated. (Click here to read more)
The warrant for the mobile phone reminded me of a report from last year, where Ben Roberts-Smith’s phone calls were tapped, which said:
Mr Roberts-Smith also reveals how he talks to Mr Stokes on “encrypted” phone applications and “intelligence agencies cannot recover it”. “So if I am talking to KMS for example – Kerry – we only talk on Telegram and then delete the messages after … People use them so it can’t be intercepted,” he says.
There is no suggestion that Mr Stokes uses the applications to avoid interception by Australian authorities, but multiple sources told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that Mr Roberts-Smith has used such applications to avoid interception by the ongoing AFP inquiries.
In the recordings, Mr Roberts-Smith makes multiple references to Mr Stokes’ support of his fight to contest war crimes allegations and those airing them. “There’s no f—ing way I’d be able to keep paying what I’m paying for until Kerry got into it. That’s why now they’re shitting themselves because they realise he’s prepared to run his bank down to do it,” Mr Roberts-Smith is recorded saying.
”I probably won’t leave the fold now … I think I’m indebted a little bit now to Kerry. Bottom line, I’d be f—ed without him … we’ve certainly had those conversations already.” (Click here to read more)
I think the Sydney Harbour probably has a few extra mobile phones it in about now.
The chances that “Person 5” will spill the beans on Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes, Ben Roberts-Smith and others would be high I suspect. If not “Person 5” maybe one of the other 3 of Ben Roberts-Smith’s paid witnesses might roll on them. By the end of today, the other 3 witnesses would have to know “Person 5” has been arrested and it that would have to have some type of impact on them especially if they were preparing to lie in the witness stand.
This could spell bad news for others who have also been obstructing / hindering the war crimes investigations such as Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes and other Seven West Media directors such as Seven’s CEO James Warburton and Commercial Director Bruce McWilliam who oversees all their legal matters including Ben Roberts-Smith defamation matter.
I published an article in February 2022 titled “Powerful prima facie case to charge billionaire Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes and Ben Roberts-Smith with attempting to pervert the course of justice” in which I “focus on the alleged crimes committed in Australia by Ben Roberts-Smith to cover-up the alleged war crimes with the evidence pointing to numerous people helping him.” (Click here to read the article)
Person 5 is Ben Roberts-Smith’s own witness and has given evidence this week and last week that Ben Roberts-Smith is being investigated for a further 3 alleged murders than what has been previously reported which I believe takes the total to 8 so far. Add that to the known war crimes, such as taking souvenirs from people that BRS killed, and the crimes and alleged crimes Ben Roberts-Smith has committed in Australia in his cover-up attempt then the hole he has dug just keeps getting deeper.
I published the below video on Wednesday regarding this matter.
Ben Roberts-Smith is not running his own defamation case, it is being run by Kerry Stokes, and that explains why BRS has kicked the own goal of the century by instituting the defamation case which is achieving nothing more than exposing more evidence of his alleged war crimes and crimes in Australia.
Tweets below by Nick McKenzie who is one of the journalists being sued by Ben Roberts-Smith
Ben Roberts-Smith’s key witness, his good friend/ex commander, just told the federal court the Brereton Inquiry was a “witch-hunt”. Justice Brereton’s 4 year probe most important war crimes inquiry in Aus history. Has led to multiple ongoing police probes, historic reforms, etc. (Click here to see on Twitter: 11:55 AM · Apr 21, 2022)
BREAKING: This is huge. Ben Roberts-Smith’s key witness, an ex SAS soldier implicated in alleged war crimes/target of Brereton Inquiry, just revealed 7 Network has been paying his legal fees. Why is listed media company using shareholder funds for this? Big q’s for Kerry Stokes. (Click here to see on Twitter: 12:08 PM · Apr 21, 2022)
Huge day in court. Ben Roberts-Smith’s key witness (and fellow suspect) just revealed in the federal court 3 NEW prisoner execution allegations facing RS and this witness from 2010. They have not before been made public. They are in addition to 2 alleged 2009 executions. (Click here to see on Twitter: 2:59 PM · Apr 21, 2022)
Media mogul Kerry Stokes defends paying for suspects’ lawyers at Brereton war crimes inquiry cos he felt it “unfair soldiers were brought before the inquiry without representation.” So why, of 200+ soldiers interviewed, did he only fund Ben Roberts-Smith’s alleged accomplices? (Click here to see on Twitter: 9:01 AM · Apr 22, 2022)
It was reported last week regarding Person 5’s legal bills:
The first witness called by Mr Roberts-Smith’s legal team, a former Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) patrol commander codenamed Person 5, told the Federal Court he only found out on Tuesday morning that the Seven Network had been paying his legal fees since 2020. This included the cost of his legal representation during that period in connection with the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) inquiry into possible war crimes in Afghanistan.
The witness denied giving favourable evidence to ensure that arrangement continued into the future, saying he had $100,000 saved in an account to pay for his legal costs.
“Did you ever have a conversation about fees [with your lawyer]?” Nine’s lawyer Nicholas Owens SC asked. “No, I didn’t. I just waited for the bill to come through,” Person 5 replied.
“They are paying your legal fees because you’re giving evidence for Ben Roberts-Smith?” Mr Owens asked. “Yes,” Person 5 replied.
“In relation to IGADF [the Australian Defence Force inquiry], because you were adopting a position supportive of him?” Mr Owens continued. “Correct,” Person 5 replied. (Click here to read more)
Person 5 claims he only found out last Tuesday (19/4/22) that Seven West Media had been paying his legal bills which is not believable as Ben Roberts-Smith works for Seven West Media. Seven had also been paying Ben Roberts-Smith’s legal bills until last year when the media found out and questions were put to Seven’s Directors then the cost was transferred to Kerry Stokes private company Australian Capital Equity. (Click here to read more)
Last Tuesday after Person 5 said in court that he had just found out that day that Seven West Media were paying his legal bills Seven also transferred the cost to Kerry Stokes private company Australian Capital Equity. Seven have no legal basis to be paying costs for alleged war criminals and it is blatant fraud and theft by Kerry Stokes and Seven’s directors to do that.
The Seven West Media directors as of today are: Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes, James Warburton, John Alexander, Teresa Dyson, David Evans, Colette Garnsey, Michael Malone and Michael Ziegelaar. (Click here to see on Seven’s website) I wonder how keen they are to adding “the aiding and abetting of concealing alleged war crimes” to their resume? Maybe a few will jump ship soon or maybe they are all prepared to go down with the Kerry Stokes’ Titanic.
Now that the first SAS soldier has been arrested and charged, although not for war crimes, I think that will be the starting gun for other related arrests and charges.
This article was in progress when the former SAS soldier arrest happened which doesn’t change the article but re-enforces the key points I make. Ben Roberts-Smith started calling his witnesses last week and Roberts-Smith case has gone from bad to worse not only for him but for the key people who are helping him.
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Categories: Channel 7, Kerry Stokes, Ryan Stokes, Seven West Media
Thank you again Shane. Justice must prevail
The real war criminals are the POLITICIANS who sent these men in battle to make their images on the world stage look good,,, Nuremberg proved the ones at the top are really to blame and not the front line troops,,, so now charge all the cowardly politicians for the crimes their orders made happen
Jon, one ought to have your comments in mind when mulling over the prosecution of Bernard Collaery and Agent K re the bugging of the East Timorese cabinet room. That case may be even worse because it would seem, from a read of Collaery’s book, “Oil under Troubled Waters”, the main beneficiary of an Australian spying operation would seem to have been a commercial entity, Woodside! Still we never know that for certain but the allegation stands for the moment.
Jon, that is not the case. Every military recruit in the ADF is told almost from Day 1 about the Geneva Convention. Every soldier who went to Afghanistan would be aware of the rules laid out in that Convention for the treatment of enemy combatants and civilians. The politicians did not give orders for crimes to happen, and it is a lie to say that. The reputation of the Australian military through many wars is testament to the training being effective.
Hard to have any confidence in an impartial investigation by AFP, latest revelations of AFP investigation into alleged rape matter involving Ms Higgins that AFP knowingly gave privileged confidential information to the defence, major concerns by ACT DPP over the disclosure (ABC)
Report of Cwth Ombudsman over AFP breaches of metadata, thousands of illegal breaches etc, history clearly shows AFP is politicised to protect MPs and their wealthy friends. Odds on all efforts will be in place to protect reputation of Defence Department and investigations will never result in any serious prosecutions.
Yes, I Totally agree. Who can we truly trust. Sad Sad state of affairs.
Toby Cee has given a most credible summation of the AFP, media and politicians. My experience with AFP confirms that summation. Media well Blind Fredy sees through them, politicians at large but most certainly those of Morrisons ilk.
Australia is infested with a number of Billionaire Cane Toads, these reprehensible creatures gain immunity from our national laws, by buying themselves exemption with their ill-gotten wealth.
One person in particular who is a major shareholder in one of Australia major media broadcasting corporations well known for his purchase of certain NSW Supreme Court Judiciary appointees, who are themselves known for their contemptible powers of privilege, a power that permits a Chief Justice to ignore the lack of integrity among those in their circle of moneyed friends.
Sitting at the top of the tree of judicial bias & acts of maladministration is the Lib/Nat party appointed Federal Attorney-General.
The Lib/Nat party having failed to appoint an honourable person to the role of Australia’s Federal Attorney General; during their 9 years as our nation’s leadership government,.in which Australia’s regulatory authorities are beholden to.
Oh what a tangled web they weave … to primarily act to deceive. Good work KCA! Thank you!
Seven West Media Ltd a public company. Aren’t the corporate regulators interested in how the company’s funds are being spent in this matter?