<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An award-winning journalist has been barred from a courtroom where claims an SAS trooper </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/afghanistan" rel="" target="" title="murdered an Afghan man"><span>murdered an Afghan man</span></a><span> are being pressed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/soldier-unaware-of-anything-planted-on-afghans-body/97235336-65a9-4446-9299-4d0bfce25579" rel="" target="" title="Special Air Service Regiment trooper Oliver Jordan Schulz"><span>Special Air Service Regiment trooper Oliver Jordan Schulz</span></a><span> is facing a possible war crime trial after footage emerged of him firing three shots at Dad Mohammad during a mission in May 2012.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mohammad was lying on his back in a wheat field in Dehjawze when he was killed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/donald-trump-tariffs-update-us-stocks-lose-as-white-house-reveals-china-tariffs-higher-than-thought/e3247618-6252-4962-b068-17637f361640" target="_blank"><strong><span>Stocks tumbles as China tariffs set even higher than thought</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Schulz denies the charge.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But at a committal hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, photojournalist Andrew Quilty was ordered out of the courtroom by the presiding magistrate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Quilty, who lived in Afghanistan for almost a decade and who has extensively covered the nation's conflict, is listed as a prosecution witness in Schulz's matter.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/oliver-schulz-war-crime-trial-andrew-quilty-photojournalist-sas-trooper-afghanistan-australia-news/9f6ec48f-e9ae-4596-ae0d-6a5fc724578c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both prosecution and defence lawyers advised Quilty on Thursday he should not be present in court due to his status as a witness, but neither had the power to compel him to leave.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Defence barrister Phillip Boulton SC said Quilty was a crown witness who played a role in the initial complaint made about Schulz.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said it was "most inappropriate" for the journalist to be sitting in court for the committal hearing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prosecutor Sean Flood SC said he had advised Quilty against staying but "he's decided to stay".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The photojournalist is covering Schulz's case for The Monthly.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After considering the matter overnight, Magistrate Greg Grogin on Friday barred all witnesses in the matter from the court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He later made an exception for investigating officers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Schulz, 43, has been accused of unlawfully killing a local man as he lay on his back in a wheat field.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A number of military witnesses have been compelled to testify at the committal hearing to see what evidence they will likely give if the matter proceeds to trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One witness who was a signal operator at the time was earlier asked about "throwdowns" - a practice where radios, guns or other incriminating evidence is planted on a body before it is photographed to make it seem like a legitimate kill.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/trump-administration-restricts-access-to-presidents-intelligence-briefing/80e99642-a446-4f36-b7fe-2eb18f1f74cf" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump shake-up sowing 'chaos' among intelligence apparatus</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Military reports viewed by AAP claim that Mohammad was seen with a Taliban radio.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, an assessment done by one of Schulz's superior officers claimed Mohammad had been seen "attempting to evade" the troop through dense bush that ran along an aqueduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Quilty was based in Afghanistan between 2013 and 2021, returning to Australia to write a book after the Taliban reclaimed Kabul.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has won many awards for his coverage of the war including nine Walkleys, among them the 2016 Gold Walkley for images taken after a hospital was destroyed by an American air strike, killing 42 people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Schulz's hearing continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/woman-gives-birth-to-baby-of-stranger-in-ivf-clinic-bungle/d564380d-b352-40ab-9c64-0a48e9a49f81" target="_blank"><strong><span>Woman gives birth to stranger's baby after IVF bungle</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Support is available by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046.</span></strong></em></div></div>