Australia's army opened a formal investigation after The Daily Telegraph in Sydney published a photograph of Aboriginal and other Black recruits sitting on the ground while fellow soldiers posed behind them wearing white hoods in the style of the Ku Klux Klan. The picture was taken at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Queensland, in September 2000, weeks before the group deployed to East Timor.
Military chief General Peter Cosgrove confirmed that both the army and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission were examining the matter. Prime Minister John Howard condemned the Klan as "an abhorrent organisation" and said that any prank touching on race crossed a clear line, whatever latitude he might otherwise allow for military horseplay.
The freelance photographer who took the image, Richard Fraley, said participation was voluntary and the episode was unplanned. He attributed the decision to publish it on Remembrance Day to someone bearing a grudge against the armed forces.
The newspaper also reported a separate allegation: a Black soldier in East Timor discovered that colleagues had removed the protective armor from his jacket while he was on patrol. Some individuals shown in the photograph were said to be considering legal action against those involved.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.