A police raid on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation over the leaking of classified documents was today deemed legal by one of the highest courts.
The Federal Police raid on the ABC’s Sydney headquarters last June sparked public outrage amid claims of media intimidation.
The leaked documents had been used by the ABC for a 2017 report about alleged unlawful killings by Australian forces in Afghanistan.
The ABC launched a challenge to the validity of the warrant but the case was dismissed by Federal Court Justice Wendy Abraham, who ordered them to pay the costs of the other parties.
Security laws state it is illegal for Commonwealth officers to leak or publish documents.
ABC director David Anderson said: “This ruling highlights the serious problem with our secrecy laws.”
