News about Chris Masters

David McBride, who helped expose accusations of war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, has pleaded guilty to leak classified information. Originally facing five charges, the former military prosecutor (right) pled guilty to three counts, including stealing commonwealth information and handing it over to journalists. McBride (left) became worried about what he believed to be the 'over-investigation' of suspected special forces troops while serving as an army prosecutor in Afghanistan, according to the court.

One of Australia's most decorated soldiers has lost a defamation lawsuit against three newspapers that accused him of complicity in the murder of six Afghans while on deployment. Four of six murder charges against former SAS corporal Ben Roberts-Smith (pictured left and right), 44, were published in Sydney, but 'in light of my findings, each proceeding must be dismissed,' said federal court Judge Anthony Besanko in Sydney today. Roberts-Smith brought the lawsuit against the Sydney Morning Herald, Age, and Canberra Times over articles arguing that he went beyond the boundaries of acceptable military service. Journalists Chris Masters (inset left) and Nick McKenzie (inset right) delivered a speech outside the Federal Court in Sydney earlier today.

Since a federal court judge found Mr Roberts-Smith (right) was involved in the killing of unarmed prisoners while serving in Afghanistan, journalist Nick McKenzie said Thursday it was "a day of mercy." After finding that Nine newspapers had proved the majority of the war crimes charges against him, Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko dismissed Mr Roberts-Smith's court complaint. After the results, McKenzie said, 'What is certain is that Ben Roberts-Smith is a liar.' To me, Ben Roberts-Smith was portrayed as the Lance Armstrong of the Australian military by some one.' And I agree that we must now treat it as truth.' McKenzie (left) had posted a one-word tweet immediately after the decision: 'Justice' (inset).

When serving with the elite Special Air Service in Afghanistan, Ben Roberts-Smith (pictured left, with girlfriend Sarah Matulin, center, outside the courthouse during the hearing, and right in Afghanistan) was involved in the killing of unarmed prisoners. In a decision that was dubbed the 'trial of the century,' the Victoria Cross recipient has lost his defamation suit against Nine newspapers. After a marathon trial lasted more than 110 days of hearing, federal court Justice Anthony Besanko delivered his verdict in Sydney on Thursday afternoon, costing the taxpayer an estimated $25 million.

McKenzie did not attempt to mask his emotions after a judge dismissed Mr Roberts-Smith's court suit on Thursday, finding that the newspapers had backed up some of the war crimes charges against him. 'Justice,' McKenzie tweeted.' Mr Roberts-Smith's one-word Twitter post was a succinct response after the thousands of words published by him in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and the Canberra Times about his suspected service in Afghanistan. Later, McKenzie's emotionally remarked on Twitter, saying 'today is a day of justice.'

Tony Soprano, a Brisbane based Mafia figure, has died at the age of 80. Gerardo Bellino, who was banned following the Fitzgerald Inquiry into crime and police abuse, ran a multimillion-dollar empire of illicit brothels and gambling dens. Bellino paid for the security of his vice rackets in Fortitude Valley to crooked police who took hundreds from 'Uncle Gerry.'