James Michael Waugh admits threatening to kill members of two Canberra churches
A former Fairfax journalist faces jail time after threatening to behead Christians in his front yard as revenge for the Christchurch tragedy.
Canberra Star
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A former journalist turned “white nationalist Muslim” who told a group of Canberra Christians he would kill them as revenge for the Christchurch tragedy faces a potential stint behind bars.
James Michael Waugh, a former reporter for The Queanbeyan Age on Monday pleaded guilty to making threats to kill to members of two new age Canberra churches
ACT Magistrates Court records reveal Waugh, of Griffith in the ACT, demanded the pastor of Crossroads Christian Church give him his address.
Waugh then sent a message to the pastor saying, “I want your address … I’m going to cut you down like the dog you are, pray to God about that.”
The message also said the man’s kids were “fair game as well”.
Waugh sent messages to a former housemate, who he had tried to impersonate, saying he would “cut (a woman’s) organs out of her … she should be gutted like a f*cking dog”.
The woman was then sent a message saying Waugh would come to her house and “f*cking kill you and kill any of your loved ones who are there, you understand?”.
The victims were both members of the church’s congregation.
Waugh had previously been involved in heated disputes about theology with the woman, who told him his views were “extremist”.
Waugh told police he believed the church was a cult and it would be “unlawful” but “morally right” to enact violence on the group.
In March last year, following the January barrage of threatening text messages, Waugh posted a message on the Facebook page of a second church, the Canberra House of Prayer which said, “I’m going to kill every single one of you polytheist c*nts as a reprisal for Christchurch.”
A total of 51 people died and 49 people were injured on March 15 last year after they were shot at while attending Friday prayer in Christchurch, New Zealand.
A Grafton man has been charged with 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and engaging in a terrorist attack. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“Get your gang together and come here and see what happens … I will fight your men on my property unarmed in broad daylight. Send the best you’ve got.”
Waugh then said in a group chat, “The only good Trinitarian is a dead one”.
“I have issued threats … to every coward dog church in Canberra … I’ve bought a scimitar to cut their heads off in my front yard as a reprisal.”
Waugh later told police he had no mental health issues and said he had purchased a scimitar to defend himself.
He said he would only behead people in self defence and that he was happy to go to prison over the threats because his victims “have no right to exist on the face of the earth”.
Waugh served 146 days in jail on remand and will return to court in May.
The offence carries a maximum 10-year jail term.
Waugh declined to comment as he left court.