Perth court lifts suppression order on identity of alleged Invasion Day bomber
The identity of the first person in Western Australia to be charged with a terrorism offence has been lifted by a Perth court.
Liam Alexander Hall, 32, was due to face Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with engaging in a terrorist act after he allegedly threw a homemade bomb into a crowd of people at an Invasion Day rally in Perth.
Mr Hall has been charged with two other offences, including intent to harm and making or possessing an explosive under suspicious circumstances.
His name had been suppressed over safety concerns while he was remanded in custody, but a magistrate lifted the suppression order on Tuesday in the interest of an open court.
Magistrate Lynette Dias said the media should be able to report on any matter in an open court and in the interest of open justice there should not be any suppression order on the accused’s identity.
“It’s the court’s experience and submissions have been made that the accused’s safety can be managed in custody,” she said.
“I conclude it is not in the interest of justice to make a suppression order.”
The alleged bomb, which witnesses claimed was encased in an Elsa sock from the film Frozen, did not explode.
Police allege Hall filled a glass container with a liquid, ball bearings and screws that was found near the front of the stage.
Mr Hall was charged with an act of terrorism 11 days after the bomb scare in Perth’s CBD.
“We will allege it was a nationalist and racially motivated attack, and we will allege he was targeting members of the Aboriginal community, First Nations people, in that protest,” AFP Commissioner Kristy Barrett said.
Mr Hall is due to appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on March 31.
