The motive of a man accused of making and distributing explosives along sidewalks in the country’s capital has so far eluded police.
The 41-year-old is accused of stealing and buying items needed to make pipe bombs from a Bunnings store in Belconnen, northwest Canberra.
Nearly a dozen of the explosives were found scattered along park trails last week.
Sergeant Samuel Harris of ACT Policing said a combination of information from the public and detective work led officers to the man’s home in Belconnen on Saturday.
There, police are said to have found objects used to assemble pipe bombs.
The suspect was arrested late Saturday evening at a unit in Gungahlin, in the city’s north, and will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.
‘We are convinced that it has nothing to do with terrorism’
Harris said the man was known to police and that he acted alone.
“At this stage we do not believe anyone else was involved,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“We have not identified any motivation, but we are confident it is not related to terrorism.”
The man has been charged with the unauthorized manufacture of a prohibited dangerous substance, possession of a prohibited weapon and theft.
The investigation is ongoing and further charges are expected.
The tubular objects were first found by citizens on Tuesday.
At least 11 pipe bombs had been found on Thursday along a one-kilometre stretch of footpath near Lake Ginninderra, a popular park area for runners and dog walkers.
Some explosives appeared to go off before being found, while others were discovered intact.
“We have conducted an extensive search of the area and we are confident we have located all outsiders,” Harris said.
Police do not believe anyone was injured when the explosives detonated.
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