Man from NSW south coast arrested, charged over alleged terror plot

Man on the NSW south coast was allegedly attempting to source a gun and build an IED, police allege.

A 21-year-old Sanctuary Point man was arrested and charged with one count of an act done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts. Picture: NSW Police

Police have swooped on a man on the NSW south coast over the weekend, amid concern he was allegedly attempting to source a gun and build an improvised explosive device in planning of a terrorist attack.

A NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team raided several vehicles and two properties in Sanctuary Point and Parma near the south coast town of Nowra.

The unemployed man lived with his parents in Sanctuary Point and will appear in court on Monday charged with acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts.

Three gel paintball guns that were similar in look to real guns were allegedly seized from the property, while four other firearms were seized from the property of an associate in concern the man may access them.

One of the firearms seized from the property. Picture: NSW Police

In addition to the gel-firearms, tactical equipment, and a number of electronic devices were also seized by police.

Further raids may be carried out and people are assisting police with their inquiries.

Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner counter terrorism Scott Lee said police were “satisfied” that the man had not made moves to finalise his plans, but that police were concerned he was plotting something serious.

“From our perspective we felt he had to move to disrupt his attack planning to ensure no attack actually occurs,” he said.

The man was allegedly planning to construct explosive devices. Picture: NSW Police

“Some of the posts that were being made and some of the activity that was reported in those posts was the potential testing of the construction of IEDs.”

Police said the man had made plans for a number of “low capability” attacks, including a specific attack on an electrical substation on the south coast in a bid to sow chaos.

Police will allege the man was attempting and planning to purchase or acquire military equipment, including firearms, and items capable of making an improvised explosive device.

NSW Police Force counter terrorism and special tactics commander, assistant commissioner Mark Whalton, said the arrest would “come as shock to some members of the NSW south coast community” as the man was not well known to police.

“He really is not someone that’s presented as an issue for us,” he said.

“He has been in contact with other entities online and it’s fair to say that, that online environment is the petri dish of hate in our community.”

The arrest comes near the anniversary of the Christchurch mass-shooting by Australian Brendan Tarrant, who killed scores of people in New Zealand last year.

The 21-year-old man is believed to have referenced Tarrant in his online postings, which expressed anti-government, anti-Semitic, anti-indigenous, anti-government, and pro-Nazi ideology.

“Unfortunately he is involved with ideology that really is one of hate,” said assistant commissioner Whalton.

The investigation into the man started in February after investigators became aware of a number of online posts containing extreme right wing and anti government ideology.

Further inquiries are ongoing between the man and his online and real world associates.

Another man was arrested by the JCTT in September 2019 as part of an ongoing investigation into extremist right-wing ideology being espoused online.

That arrest formed part of ongoing investigations into online extremist activity.