A Braybrook man has become Australia’s first alleged right-wing extremist to be charged under federal anti-terrorism laws.
Phillip Galea, 31, was arrested in a counter-terrorism raid at a Ballarat Road property about 1pm Saturday.
The alleged political extremist, linked with far-right group Reclaim Australia, has been charged on two counts of preparing to commit a terrorist act.
Victoria Police counter-terrorism command assistant commissioner Ross Guenther said at a press conference that police had been tipped off in January but swooped on Saturday because the threat to the community had escalated.
“I think we’ve interrupted something that was quite serious in terms of harm to our community,” he said.
“The threat was specific enough to cause us alarm.”
Mr Guenther denied that the charges against Mr Galea were “part of a conspiracy against the patriot movement”.
“Our concerns were very much that an individual’s or group’s actions would lead to significant harm,” Mr Guenther said.
Australian Federal Police acting assistant commissioner Jennifer Hurst said police were concerned with targeting criminal activity, not ideologies.
“Terrorism has no place in an inclusive Australian society, and we will continue to take action against those who support it in any way, at the earliest point,” she said.
The two charges against Mr Galea are collecting or making documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts, and acting in preparation for or planning terrorist acts.
Mr Galea was due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday).
