A veteran of an elite police force has been accused of fabricating stories about his service, including being sent to Port Arthur on the day of the 1996 massacre.
Christopher Glasl has written about his four years in Victoria’s dreaded Special Operations Group (SOG), also known as the ‘Sons of God’ or ‘Men in Black’.
Special Operations Group: The Inside Story of the Most Feared and Fearsome Unit in Australian Policing was described as a behind-the-scenes look at the tactical squad.
But 12 days after the memoir hit shelves, publisher Hachette pulled it from sale after learning that “some of the contents of this book are incorrect.”
Victoria Police have said he was not in Port Arthur on the day of the massacre – claiming he was not even in Tasmania.
Chris Glasl, a veteran of Victoria’s elite Special Operations Group, has been accused of fabricating stories about his service, including being sent to Port Arthur on the day of the 1996 massacre
Created in 1977 to fight terrorism, the SOG is called upon to end sieges, rescue hostages and arrest armed offenders in the most dangerous of circumstances.
“The Special Operations Group are ultra-fit, highly trained officers who are assigned to do the job other law enforcement officers can’t,” says publicity material for Glasl’s book.
“Ever since he was a nineteen-year-old recruit to the Victoria Police Department, Chris Glasl aspired to join this elite group – the SOG were untouchable, indestructible and so closely linked that they formed a brotherhood like no other.
Special Operations Group is Chris’s story of his life in the SOG – where solidarity, camaraderie and loyalty have been undermined by harassment, bastardization, drug use, lies and betrayal.
“It’s a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what happened at the SOG, and a poignant account of the big jobs he attended.”
One of the stories Glasl tells is that he was sent to Port Arthur after Martin Bryant shot and killed 35 tourists and staff at the Tasmanian historic site.
Glasl claims he was part of a SOG team that flew to the island on April 28, 1996 to support local police who lacked the proper experience or training.
He writes how a SOG sniper was given a chance to kill Bryant when he was hiding in the nearby Seascape Cottages, but was not allowed to shoot.
Glasl claimed in his book Special Operations Group that he was present when gunman Martin Bryant was arrested at Seascape Cottages (above), but Victoria Police say he was not
“Bryant had an excellent vantage point from the second floor… an attack on the property would leave us exposed and vulnerable,” he writes.
“We started to think of other options, a tank or an armored vehicle, but nothing was available. One of the team leaders suggested a bulldozer.’
Glasl writes that when an SOG sniper known as Sierra was given the opportunity to shoot Bryant, the Tasmanian Police Commissioner would not allow it.
Instead, the SOG team had to wait until dawn, when the main building was on fire and Bryant ran out of the building with his clothes on fire.
“It was a totally surreal scene, flames and smoke coming out of the building, as the night sky was replaced by the rising sun and birds began to sing,” writes Glasl.
Publisher Hachette has withdrawn Glasl’s book Special Operations Group from sale
The problem with Glasl’s story is that he wasn’t in Port Arthur that day, according to Victoria Police, and couldn’t have seen what happened.
A spokeswoman for Hachette told Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon that it had withdrawn Glasl’s book from sale pending further investigation.
“It has come to our attention that some of the contents of this book are incorrect,” the spokeswoman said.
“We have made the decision to immediately remove this book from sale while we conduct further investigation.”
Just minutes earlier, a Victoria Police spokeswoman warned the media against publishing stories promoting the book.
“Victoria Police is aware of a newly published book on the Special Operations Group (SOG) written by a former member,” the spokeswoman said.
“We are concerned about the accuracy of the book, including some of the author’s claims about jobs he has taken.
Of particular interest is Chapter 18, which focuses on the author’s alleged involvement in the resolution of the Port Arthur massacre.
“To confirm, the former member was not part of the SOG deployment in Port Arthur and was not even in Tasmania at the time.
“If anyone intends to promote this book or interview the author, please feel free to contact us in advance to confirm the validity of the jobs he has taken and any associated claims.”
Glasl writes in an afterword to his book: ‘I have tried to be as honest and open in this book as my memory allows. Is it all true? I will say that almost everything is true.
“Legally, I have to protect myself against the possibility of any consequences. The reader can make up his mind if I have written the truth. I’m sure they know.’