Cops defend telling public gay activist who lit van outside Australian Christian Lobby HQ was not politically motivated

POLICE have defended their decision to say an alleged arson attack by a gay rights campaigner on the Australian Christian Lobby headquarters was not politically-motivated.

The van after it was set alight in a car park at the Australian Christian Lobby headquarters in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

• Gay rights supporter attempted suicide by trying to blow up van
• Car driven into ACL headquarters in Canberra

POLICE have defended their decision to say an alleged arson attack by a gay rights campaigner on the Australian Christian Lobby headquarters was not politically-motivated.

ACT Policing — which is the Canberra branch of the Australian Federal Police — posted a lengthy statement on their website stating the massive fire which caused $100,000 damage to the ACL headquarters was not terrorism but a failed suicide attempt by the alleged arsonist, 36-year-old Jaden Duong.

Duong was severely burnt when he allegedly attempted to blow up four 9kg gas tanks in a van outside the building in Canberra on December 21 last year.

Police allege Jaden Duong was attempting suicide when he tried to blow up his van. Picture: Ray Strange

Police facts tendered in court on Wednesday allege Duong told police afterwards it was a suicide attempt but he would have been happy if the ACL building had been destroyed in the process because he disliked the organisation, saying, “religions are failed”.

The facts also allege that in the weeks leading up to the fire Duong had Googled search items such as, “how much gas to cause explosion,” and “countries with same sex marriage” and “Australian Christian Lobby”.

In the days after the fire ACT Policing Commander Mark Walters said at a media conference the fire was not believed to be, “politically, religiously or ideologically motivated”.

That message was repeated by AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin at a Senate Estimates Committee in February when he said that it was a suicide attempt.

In the unattributed statement placed on the ACT Policing website yesterday it said police formed the view the fire was a suicide attempt based on what Duong allegedly told them at hospital which was that he had wanted to, “blow myself up.”

The statement said that in turn this was reported publicly.

Police said it had been important to reassure the public the incident was not terror-related.

About $100,000 worth of damage was done to the ACL headquarters. Picture: Kym Smith

“(To) provide reassurance to the ACT community, media speculation regarding the offender’s motivation was addressed.”

“It is important for police to advise the public when an investigation into a terrorism incident has commenced.

“It is just as important to advise the community where an incident is not believed to be terrorism related.”

The statement said ACT Policing will allege in court that Duong had planned a “mountaintop bonfire-type thing” but could not find a suitable location as there were too many people.

He then made a spontaneous decision to go to the Australian Christian Lobby where it was quiet.

The ACL building was badly damaged in the fire and had all of its bottom floor windows blown out as well as some windows on the top floor.

There was smoke damage throughout the building and molten glass from the exploding window panes.

Duong pleaded not guilty to a charge of arson and property damage and is set to stand trial in the ACT Supreme Court.

His lawyer Peter Woodhouse said Duong did not dispute the police facts but the issue at trial would be mental impairment.