A potential disaster was averted in Perth when an attempted bombing at an Invasion Day rally was declared a terrorist act by authorities. The incident, which occurred on Australia Day, involved a 31-year-old man allegedly throwing a homemade 'fragment bomb' filled with ball bearings and screws into a crowd. The device, if exploded, could have caused severe harm or even loss of life.
The authorities acted swiftly, with the man being arrested just five minutes after the incident. State and federal counterterrorism groups were involved from 12:54 pm, and the operation, named Operation Dumfries, was endorsed by the heads of the WA Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) the next day. The investigation revealed that the attack was motivated by hateful, racist ideology, targeting Aboriginal people and peaceful protesters.
The Premier, Roger Cook, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that it could have become a 'mass casualty event'. He also highlighted the impact on Indigenous communities and the broader Australian population, expressing deep concern and anger. The man's identity has been suppressed to protect his safety, and the police commissioner, Col Blanch, confirmed that intelligence agencies had no prior knowledge of the attack.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner, Krissy Barrett, provided further details, alleging that the man removed an improvised explosive device from his bag and threw it at a rally in support of First Nations people. The AFP's new national security investigations team is now focusing on preventing similar incidents by targeting individuals and groups that promote hate and violence, sending a strong message of deterrence.
