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Ben Roberts-Smith makes first statement after release from prison on bail

Former SAS soldier and accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith has denied all allegations against him in his first public statement released today.

The 47-year-old Victoria Cross recipient was arrested on April 7 and charged with murdering or ordering the murders of five unarmed detainees while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

Reading from a short statement on the Gold Coast, he rejected the allegations.

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Ben Roberts-Smith

"For the past 10 years, my family and I have been subject to a campaign to convince Australians that I've acted improperly in my service in Afghanistan.

"As I've always maintained: I categorically deny all of these allegations.

"And while I would have preferred these charges not be brought, I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name.

"I'm proud of my service in Afghanistan."

He closed by saying he'd "never run from a fight in my life".

Roberts-Smith successfully applied for bail at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court last Friday. He was released from Silverwater Correctional Centre before travelling back to Queensland.

He has consistently proclaimed his innocence.

War crime allegations against Roberts-Smith were first exposed by the now Nine-owned Fairfax Media in 2018.

The war veteran sued for defamation in the Federal Court but suffered a crushing defeat with a judge finding the accusations of murder were, on the balance of probabilities, true.

He failed to overturn these findings on appeal to the full Federal Court and the High Court.

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