Police have seized kilos of chemicals and precursors that could be used to make bombs from a residential unit in South Hobart.
Nearby residents were evacuated during investigations yesterday as police prepared to conduct a controlled explosion of chemicals seized in the Friday night raid.
As well chemicals and precursors it’s understood police found bomb-making instructions, but nothing to indicate a target.
A 28-year-old man is in custody but has not been charged.
Police had planned dispose of the chemicals in a nearby open paddock, but it is more likely the chemicals will now be transported to the more isolated Police Academy at Rokeby and detonated there.
Detective Acting Inspector Darren Latham would not comment on whether the chemicals had been bought locally or would have had to have been imported from interstate or overseas.
“At this stage I’m not willing to go into what the chemicals are — other than to say they are in a quantity that caused some concern for us,” Detective Latham said.
“So at the moment we’re using our specialist forensic officers to conduct testing of those chemicals to determine what they are and provide some advice to us.”
Police also seized a computer, notebooks and other materials from inside the home.
The ABC understands those materials include bomb making instructions, but no religious or political ideological material.
There was also nothing to suggest any particular target or that any bombs had been actually assembled.
“That’s what’s forming part of our initial investigation … to determine what the chemicals are doing there and what he is doing,” Detective Latham said.
“That will form part of the investigation and it’s very early stages to actually determine what that is.
“Everything that we are searching for in the house in relation to the chemicals and anything else there that provides us with some information about why those chemicals are there, is what we are looking at.”
Police said they were acting on a tip off on Friday when they went to the unit around 3:00pm.
But it is understood they had been watching a 28-year-old occupant for weeks.
The man is in police custody and police say he is helping them with their investigation.
Detectives say the man is known to police but would not comment on why.
They say that the man does not have any known affiliations with any political or religious groups that would normally concern authorities.
Neighbours said they were shocked and that, as far as they were aware, the units were home to students and young workers. ABC News
