Man Charged with Terrorism After Failed Bomb at Perth Invasion Day Rally

Updated 2026-02-05 06:31:13+00:00 (4 articles)

Image: BBC

A 31-year-old man has been charged with a terrorist offence after throwing a homemade bomb at an Aboriginal protest in Perth. (Cason Ho/ABC News) Source Full size

Homemade Device Thrown Into Crowd of 2,500 Protesters 31‑year‑old man hurled a ball‑bearing‑filled bomb into a gathering of roughly 2,500 people protesting Australia Day in Perth on 5 February 2026 [1]. The device, equipped with a lit fuse, screws and metal pellets, failed to detonate, narrowly avoiding a potential mass‑casualty event [1]. Police recovered the unexploded bomb and confirmed it was designed to cause maximum injury [1].

Suspect Faces First Terrorism Charge in Western Australia The attacker, whose identity is suppressed for safety, was already charged with unlawful act with intent to harm and possession of explosives before the terrorism charge was added [1]. The new charge carries a maximum life sentence and marks the first terrorism prosecution in Western Australia [1]. He remains in custody pending a court appearance scheduled for 17 February 2026 [1].

Authorities Respond Within Minutes, Federal Agencies Involved Australian Federal Police and ASIO were alerted 36 minutes after the device was thrown and joined the investigation immediately [1]. AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed federal resources are being deployed nonstop to assess any ongoing threat [1]. Police Commissioner Col Blanch noted the suspect acted alone, self‑radicalising through pro‑white online material, and that there was no prior intelligence on the plot [1].

Premier Attributes Attack to Racist, Anti‑Indigenous Ideology Western Australian Premier Roger Cook described the assault as motivated by hateful, racist ideology targeting Aboriginal people and peaceful demonstrators [1]. He acknowledged the broader anger felt by Indigenous communities over the Australia Day controversy [1]. Cook called for unity and reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting all citizens from extremist violence [1].

Sources

1.
BBC: Man Charged with Terrorism After Throwing Homemade Bomb at Perth Invasion Day Rally: Reports the 31‑year‑old suspect’s failed bomb attack on a 2,500‑person protest, the first terrorism charge in WA, rapid federal involvement, and Premier Cook’s attribution of the act to racist ideology .
2026-02-05 06:31:13+00:00

Timeline

Dec 24, 2025 – A 39‑year‑old Perth man, Martin Glynn, is charged with racial harassment, unlawful possession of firearms and failing to store weapons after a public tip leads police to raid his Yangebup home, seizing three flags, six rifles, about 4,000 rounds of ammunition and a notebook with antisemitic and Nazi references plus a shopping list for bomb‑making materials; magistrate Benjamin Tyers denies bail and schedules a hearing for Feb 3, 2026, highlighting the link between online extremist endorsement of the Bondi Beach attackers and a growing weapons cache in Western Australia [4].

Dec 2025 (late) – A deadly attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, carried out by a lone assailant, raises Australia’s national terror threat level to “probable,” the third‑highest rating, prompting heightened vigilance ahead of the Australia Day/Invasion Day protests nationwide [3].

Jan 26, 2026 – Australia Day commemorates the 1788 landing of the First Fleet, while many Indigenous Australians observe it as “Invasion Day,” prompting thousands to gather in Perth’s Forrest Place and other cities for rights rallies, a context that frames the later bomb incident [3].

Jan 26, 2026 – At about 12:30 pm, a 31‑year‑old throws a glass‑container device packed with ball bearings, screws and an unidentified liquid into a crowd of roughly 2,500 people at the Indigenous “Invasion Day” rally in Perth; police arrest him on the scene, Commissioner Col Blanch calls the bomb “very rudimentary” and says no ongoing public danger exists, while Premier Roger Cook condemns the act as “completely unacceptable” and urges “We can’t let hate win” amid the national “probable” terror alert [3].

Jan 28, 2026 – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describes the Perth bomb incident as “quite shocking,” pledges that the suspect will be prosecuted “to the full force of the law,” and notes investigators are examining whether terrorism offences apply, as the man faces charges for making explosives and intending harm; Western Australia Police continue probing political, religious or ideological motives [2].

Feb 5, 2026 – Police upgrade the suspect’s charges to terrorism—the first such charge in Western Australia—after confirming the homemade device contained ball bearings and a lit fuse that failed to detonate; Commissioner Col Blanch says the attacker self‑radicalised via pro‑white material online, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirms federal police and ASIO join the investigation within 36 minutes, and Premier Roger Cook attributes the attack to hateful, racist ideology, stressing “we can’t let hate win” [1].

Feb 17, 2026 (scheduled) – The 31‑year‑old remains in custody and is set to appear before a Western Australian court for a hearing on the terrorism, explosives and unlawful‑act charges, where the prosecution is expected to seek a maximum life sentence under the new terrorism legislation [1].

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