An Australian particular forces soldier has been faraway from a secretive multinational operation monitoring overseas jihadists after a number of allegations of sexual harassment from different members in this system.
Key factors:
- Operation Gallant Phoenix (OGP) is a multi-national operation monitoring overseas IS fighters, together with these from Australia
- It’s alleged an Australian member of OGP “shoved” his cell phone up one other member’s skirt
- A supply says the incident has strained the working relationship between Australia and different OGP members
Australia is considered one of about 25 nations concerned in Operation Gallant Phoenix (OGP), a Jordan-based intelligence cell of about 250 personnel monitoring overseas Islamic State (IS) fighters throughout Iraq and Syria.
It’s believed a number of Australians combating with IS, together with notorious terrorists Mohamed Elomar and Khaled Sharrouf, have been tracked by OGP and later killed in air strikes.
The categorized US-led operation additionally collects information captured in particular forces raids, which it shares with legislation enforcement companies in Europe and Asia in an effort to thwart attainable IS assaults.
A supply has informed ABC Investigations a senior particular forces operator was despatched house from OGP final yr after members of different nations concerned in this system accused him of a number of incidents of sexual harassment.
Sources say in a single alleged incident, which they declare was captured on CCTV, he “shoved” a cell phone up one other member’s skirt.
One supply says some OGP members are actually reluctant to work with the Australian contingent of the multinational program.
An Australian Defence Pressure (ADF) spokesperson confirmed “a member deployed to the Center East Area was returned from operations following allegations of misconduct”.
ABC Investigations understands Defence remains to be investigating the allegations and different alleged misconduct dedicated by Australian troopers.
An Australian Special Forces soldier final month was flown to Germany for emergency surgical procedure after allegedly being stabbed throughout an unauthorised go to to a brothel in northern Iraq.
The SAS soldier was in Iraq as a part of Operation Okra, an worldwide coalition focusing on IS in Iraq and Syria.
He was subsequently issued with a proper discover to elucidate why he shouldn’t be terminated from his employment within the regiment. The ABC understands this incident additionally stays underneath investigation by Defence.
The Brereton report into alleged battle crimes in Afghanistan singled out a “clique” of SAS patrol commanders. The report blamed them for fostering a deviant “warrior tradition” throughout the nation’s elite forces.
The ADF has since adopted a reform program to sort out “a sub-culture of elitism and deviation from acceptable requirements which was normalised over time and into which extra junior personnel have been inculcated”.
Alleged battle crimes are at present being probed by the Workplace of the Particular Investigator, which is but to put any costs.
