Artem Vasilyev stands Supreme Court trial accused of planning terror attack to destroy Cherry Gardens electrical substation

A man is standing trial accused of planning to destroy an SA power station to “advance his cause”, and a judge says jurors may find the evidence “confronting”.

Artem Vasilyev has pleaded not guilty to planning a terror act. Picture: Supplied

The case against an alleged white nationalist accused of planning to destroy a power station in a terror attack includes “offensive” racism and “confronting” evidence of warfare and combat, a judge has warned.

In the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Artem Vasilyev, 27, of Findon, pleaded not guilty to one count of committing other acts done in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.

Before empanelling 14 jurors to hear the four-week trial, Justice Sandi McDonald told a pool of candidates they “may be required to see and hear some confronting evidence”.

“I’m told it’s likely you will receive evidence which advances certain political, religious or ideological causes,” she said.

“These include fascism, Nazism, anti-Semitism, socialism, communism, anti-Islam, white supremacy and white nationalism.

“There will also be evidence about firearms, terrorist attacks including the Christchurch terror attack in 2019, combat and warfare.

“The nature of this evidence will be such that most people are likely to find aspects offensive and confronting.

“It will involve racist language and derogatory comments about minority groups.”

Mr Vasilyev, prosecutors allege, planned a terror act in order to further the cause of white nationalism. Picture: Supplied

Opening the trial, prosecutor Justin Hannebery KC alleged Mr Vasilyev had performed a series of acts “in preparation or planning for a terrorist act”, namely:

CONDUCTING digital reconnaissance of a “potential target”.

RESEARCHING means to attack, by explosives or firearms, that target.

LOOKING into ways of “avoiding being discovered”.

OBTAINING explosive substances.

MANUFACTURING firearms.

He alleged Mr Sasilyev’s target was the SA Power Networks electrical substation located at Cherry Gardens.

“He was planning an attack on the substation, it was going to cause at least very serious damage and maybe put the public at risk,” he said.

“And it was done with the intention of advancing white nationalism.”

Mr Hannebery said people had “individual definitions” of what a terrorist act was but, at law, it had a very specific meaning.

He said a terror attack was carried out “in advance of a political, religious or ideological cause” to “influence the government” or “intimidate the public”.

“You will hear some evidence about what the prosecution would say is Ms Vasilyev’s adherence to an ideal that can be described as white nationalism,” he said.

“(You will also hear about) his adherence to views about how to advance that ideal.

“That’s what is said to be, effectively, the terrorist motivation – advancing white nationalism – and you might think destroying a substation would intimidate the public.”

Mr Hannebery said the prosecution case had, at its core, “a certain simplicity”.

“We say Mr Vasilyev had an intention to promote his particular ideological cause, namely white nationalism, and to do that he planned to attack the substation,” he said.

“In doing that, he did five certain things to prepare for that plan, which was a terrorist act.”

The trial continues.