Man accused of Australian Christian Lobby explosion found dead
THE body of Jaden Duong, accused of attempting to blow up four 9kg gas tanks in a van outside the Australian Christian Lobby, was found on Sunday.
NSW
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A GAY rights supporter accused of causing an explosion outside the Australian Christian Lobby in Canberra has been found dead.
Jaden Duong, 36, was found dead on Sunday afternoon.
ACT Policing have released a statement saying, “About 4.30pm yesterday (24 September 2017) ACT Policing attended the death of 36-year-old male.
“ACT Policing are treating the death as non-suspicious.
“Investigations are ongoing and a report will be prepared for the Act Coroner.”
Duong had been committed for trial in the ACT Supreme Court for allegedly attempting to blow up four 9kg gas tanks in a van outside the building in Canberra on December 21 last year.
He was severely burnt in the explosion which ripped through the ACL headquarters causing $100,000 worth of damage.
Police facts tendered in court allege Duong told police afterwards that 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.
The facts also alleged that in the weeks leading up to the fire Duong had Googled search items which included, “how much gas to cause explosion,” and “countries with same sex marriage” and “Australian Christian Lobby”.
Duong had pleaded not guilty to arson and property damage.
His lawyer Peter Woodhouse said Duong did not dispute the police facts but the issue at trial would be mental impairment.
In the days after the fire ACT Policing Commander Mark Walters said at a media conference that the fire was not believed to be, “politically, religiously or ideologically motivated.”
Duong described himself as a business consultant on his LinkedIn profile and lived in San Francisco for several years where he volunteered to gay rights politician David Chiu and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.
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