A 66-year-old man has been charged with the alleged bombing of a government building and legal office, when police were seen removing several items, including an angle grinder, gas canisters and face masks, from his sprawling rural property.
The “targeted attacks” on the Legal Aid building and a law firm in Gosford, on the New South Wales Central Coast, occurred shortly before 2.30pm on Thursday and prompted a mass evacuation and immediate manhunt.
Police released a CCTV image of a “chubby” white-haired man, aged in his 60s, wearing a surgical mask, dull green cap, T-shirt and jeans with a bag at his feet.
The individual was finally arrested almost 24 hours after the alleged attacks at a sprawling rural house in Wallarah, on the New South Wales central coast, at 1.30pm on Friday.
He was taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with two counts of destroying or damaging property with intent to endanger life.
He was refused bail and will face Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
A dozen detectives and forensic officers were seen combing the man’s rural property on Thursday night.
Several items of interest were taken, including surgical masks, two baseball caps, two phones and a laptop, all of which were bagged as evidence.
Police released a CCTV image of a “chubby” white-haired man, aged in his 60s, wearing a surgical mask, a dull green cap, a T-shirt and jeans with a bag at his feet (pictured).
On Thursday night, a dozen detectives and forensic officers were seen combing the man’s rural property in Wallarah on the New South Wales Central Coast (pictured).
Police were also seen removing cables, pieces of broken gas cylinders and an angle grinder.
Police were also seen removing cables, pieces of broken gas cans and an angle grinder.
Shortly before 7 p.m., a flatbed truck took away a white Mazda sedan.
A steel pressure cooker and a fuel container were also seen lying on the grass.
“This is a callous and brazen attack in the way it has been executed,” Superintendent Darryl Jobson, Brisbane Water Police district commander, told reporters on Friday.
“This is an incident where there could have been a completely different outcome, taking into account the circumstances and fortunately no one was seriously injured and there were no deaths on this occasion.”
Emergency services were initially called to the Legal Aid building on Donnison Street at around 2.20pm on Thursday following reports of explosions.
A short time later, police were called to the Kensmen building on the same street after reports of a fire and smoke coming from the third floor.
Supt Dobson said the alleged arsonist “ignited an improvised explosive device which I would describe as a small household LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder which caused a fire”.
“This is a callous and brazen attack in the way it was carried out,” Superintendent Darryl Jobson, Brisbane Water Police district commander, told reporters on Friday.
Shortly before 7:00 p.m., a flatbed truck took away a white Mazda sedan (pictured)
Forensics are seen combing through multiple crime scenes Thursday night.
“The male then left that location and it appears that he found or obtained another bag at another location that we are not aware of,” he added.
The suspect then transported that “duffle bag on wheels” to the Kensmen building, about 250 yards from the road.
The man took a lift to level three, where he allegedly lit another firebomb outside the offices of Conditsis Lawyers.
Dobson said detectives did not know if the man left the second building on foot or in a vehicle.
“The motive is something that interests us a lot,” he said Friday.
“It is obvious that there is a reason why the man went to both places and we are eager to determine what the reason is.”
The director of Conditsis Lawyers, Michael Mantaj, was one of those evacuated from the Legal Aid building where the explosions were reported.
“I didn’t see the guy, but someone threw an incendiary device. All personnel are accounted for. Fortunately no one was hurt,” he told ABC.