Due to his whistleblowing efforts, which exposed Australian special forces officers having committed war crimes in Afghanistan, former Australian Defence Force lawyer David McBride is a hero to many in this country.
So, it’s difficult to have heard him say, as he’s been speaking at various recent events, that he expects to be spending time in prison following his trial, where the prosecution will argue that he, in having divulged classified information, threatened national security.
“When I am in gaol, which is likely to happen, because the Americans want it to happen, and Albanese can’t say no to the Americans, you people will make me smile,” McBride told a crowd of Julian Assange supporters, out the front of the prime minister’s Marrickville office on 10 December.
McBride leaked classified ADF documents to the ABC over 2014 to 2016, which contained the details that went on to form the basis of the 2017 Afghan Files report. And David only did this after he’d first gone to his superiors in the military with his concerns, which failed to trigger any internal action.
The father-of-two is now set to appear before the ACT Supreme Court early next Tuesday morning, 11 April, to set the date for his criminal trial, which will see tried over face five national security offences that could result in him spend the rest of his life in prison.
“I feel like I am going to be convicted,” McBride told Sydney Criminal Lawyers last December. “I do feel that I...
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