Thursday's finding that Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated soldier, was involved in brutal unlawful killings in Afghanistan and is a war criminal will reverberate around the world.
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Roberts-Smith, acclaimed as a national hero after being awarded the Victoria Cross in 2011, had sued The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times for defamation following a series of articles in 2018.
These "imputed" - to use the legalese - the former SAS Corporal was involved in the brutal killings of six Afghan prisoners in a number of separate incidents while on active service.
The most shocking allegations related to the death of an unarmed and handcuffed Afghan farmer Ali Jan in September 2012. Roberts-Smith had allegedly kicked Ali Jan over a cliff before he was dragged behind a tree and shot by another soldier.
Justice Anthony Besanko ruled the newspapers had established the truth of their imputations Roberts-Smith, who was in Bali on Thursday, "murdered an unarmed and defenceless Afghan civilian by kicking him off a cliff and procuring the soldiers under his command to shoot him".
Justice Besanko also found the newspapers had established the truth of their imputation Roberts-Smith had "broke the moral and legal rules of military engagement and is therefore a criminal".
This is an absolute bombshell. The man who was once the poster boy for the ADF and held up as an exemplar of Australia's best and bravest in the finest tradition of the Anzacs stands publicly branded as a murderer and a war criminal.
He has also been outed as a bully and a liar who has been hoisted on his own petard after choosing to defend the indefensible by taking the media who brought his crimes to light to court.
If the decision had gone the other way, and the court had found against the newspapers and its journalists, public interest journalism and investigative reporting would have been dealt a body blow.
This, of course is not the end of the story. First and foremost it is highly likely Roberts-Smith will appeal, as he is entitled to.
Leaving that aside, however, Justice Besanko's ruling has raised many questions that go far beyond the defamation action.
What, for example, happens next? While the Defence Minister Richard Marles refused to comment on the findings on Thursday, saying this was a "civil matter" he can't ignore this outcome.
Many people will see this as a vindication of the Brereton inquiry, which itself might not have come about if it had not been for the work of investigative journalists, and be asking if or when formal war crimes charges are going to be laid against Roberts-Smith.
And then, of course, there is the question of what impact Thursday's finding would have on the right to a "fair trial".
Mr Marles, and Defence, also need to urgently get to the bottom of how this could happen.
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Given what appears to be a substantial body of evidence how was it possible for this to have remained the SAS's dirty secret for so long?
It's quite apparent the real heroes in this saga have been the soldiers who, despite both the unit's code of silence and intense external pressure, were courageous enough to testify against a former brother-in-arms in order to bring heinous crimes to light.
While this has been a very sad day for the ADF, and for Australia - which potential adversaries will not hesitate to capitalise on - egregious misconduct by those who wear our uniform must be dealt with in the bright light of day.
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