Trial of military whistleblower David McBride, who leaked secret allegations of Australian war crimes, begins
ABCThe trial of an Australian military lawyer who leaked secret information about alleged war crimes to journalists has begun in Canberra. Key points: David McBride faces five charges of stealing and unlawfully disclosing military secrets His trial is expected to focus on whether he had a duty to defy defence orders and act in the public interest Arguments before a jury are expected to begin next week David McBride was an Australian Defence Force lawyer who served in Afghanistan last decade. The prosecution says David McBride leaked information to try to show that troops were being "over-investigated". She argued that military personnel like Mr McBride had no protection for disclosing secret information without authorisation, even if they believed "that doing so advances the public interest".