The family of the New Zealand soldier whose death in Afghanistan allegedly sparked a deadly SAS raid have hit out at Nicky Hager over his book Hit & Run.
Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell was killed in Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2010.
Mr Hager and co-author Jon Stephenson claim New Zealand forces launched a "revenge attack" against Afghani villages that killed civilians.
Mr O'Donnell's father, Mark, told RNZ's Checkpoint in a statement that the book was a "money-making venture".
"Tim O'Donnell's family are annoyed by the allegations made by Mr Hager about the New Zealand Defence Force's activities in Afghanistan. Tim's death was, and still is, a massive shock to his family and friends," he said.
"And they don't need it to be dragged up in a sensationalised article like this with Tim's photos being shown on television and on the internet at a time when the family believed that he was at last out of the public arena.
"If the allegations are in any way accurate, we are confused and upset as to why the evidence was not presented to the appropriate authorities as pure evidence.
"The publishing of this book appears to be a money-making venture that seeks fame for the authors, and attempts to blacken the reputations of more than a few people including very courageous defence personnel who repeatedly get in harms way for New Zealand."
Lt O'Donnell was killed after his patrol vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. He was the first New Zealander to die in action in Afghanistan.
"The family are also upset at the comments in the media about war crimes," Mark O'Donnell continued.
"Most of the work carried out by Tim's patrol was around supporting local people and supporting US agricultural experts who were there to introduce new crops and new methods of farming. They were not there as combatants.
"[They] were attacked at the end of a long day. A large bomb was detonated directly under the vehicle and Tim was killed outright. His two crew were seriously injured, and their interpreter suffered minor injuries.
"No one wrote a book demanding answers and yelling war crimes. The Taliban didn't come down and tend to the dead and injured. They cleared off with a great rate into the hills, probably very jubilant.
"There is a sense of unfairness about this book. The New Zealand Defence Force carried out their role as best they could in the circumstances of an ever-changing environment."
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