December 18th 2024.
"Isn't hunting season just the best?" exclaimed Special Air Service Regiment trooper Oliver Jordan Schulz to a fellow soldier. He was still buzzing from the previous day's events, where he had "notched up another one" by allegedly committing a war crime - murder.
The 43-year-old had been accused of shooting a local man, Dad Mohammad, three times while he lay on his back in a wheat field in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province on May 28, 2012. Schulz, who has yet to enter a plea, was arrested in March 2023, making him the first former or serving Australian Defence Force member to be charged with a war crime-related murder.
Recently, a court order that had previously restricted reporting on the case was lifted, allowing the public to learn about the evidence gathered by the court. Among this evidence was footage from a helmet-mounted camera, which captured Schulz and his patrol arriving in Dehjawze by helicopter. They then proceeded to run past a compound and over aqueducts before coming across Mohammad.
The video shows Schulz walking into the field, pointing his rifle at the Afghan man who then lies down on his back before being shot three times. Military documents reveal that Schulz's patrol had been sent to Dehjawze to capture Mullah Payend, who was known by various aliases and was suspected of providing religious training to insurgents in the area. He was also allegedly connected to suicide bombings in Tarin Kowt.
According to a report summarizing Mohammad's death, he was seen "tactically manoeuvring" on the ground as Schulz's helicopter approached. Smoke and flares were dropped in an attempt to engage him from the air, but when that failed, soldiers were sent on foot. The report claims that Mohammad displayed "hostile intent" and refused to stop when ordered, leading to his death.
Although no locals witnessed the shooting, some elders complained that Mohammad had been unlawfully killed, but the report dismissed their claims, stating that they had a history of making similar allegations prompted by insurgents. The elders claimed that Mohammad had been shot in the head and stabbed in the neck and heart, but the report suggests that these claims were made to discredit the soldiers and to seek compensation for incidents that occurred.
However, evidence gathered by the Australian Federal Police revealed that Schulz's state of mind at the time of the killing may have been revealed in his words after the incident. In a message to another soldier, Schulz wrote, "I had a f---ing gooooooooooood day yesterday brother," the day after the shooting.
In late November, two SAS soldiers, who cannot be named, were ordered to appear in court after refusing to speak with the AFP. During the committal hearing, they will be questioned about the incident, and a third individual will also be called to give evidence about what he saw on the day and his observations of Mohammad and the mobile phone allegedly found on the dead Afghan.
Another round of hearings is expected to take place in February to compel further SAS troops to give evidence. It is a crucial development in the case, as prosecutors allege that items were planted on Mohammad's body after his death and that Schulz may have made false statements during an interview with a superior in June 2012. This soldier will also face questioning at the hearing about the interview and what was said.
The court will also hear from a second soldier who was on the ground with Schulz at the time of the shooting. He will be asked about his whereabouts during the incident, the information he received during briefings before and after the mission, and any conversations he had with Schulz regarding the killing.
As the case unfolds, it is a reminder of the consequences of war and the importance of upholding ethical standards in the military. It also sheds light on the complexities of combat situations and the difficult decisions that soldiers often face in the heat of the moment. Regardless of the outcome, this case serves as a sobering reminder of the realities of war and the need for accountability and justice.
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