A man will face court next month in relation to an explosion outside the Canberra offices of activist group the Australian Christian Lobby in December 2016.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police said on Wednesday they had charged a 36-year-old Deakin man with arson and property damage over the explosion of a carload of gas cylinders outside the Eternity House building in Deakin.
The announcement is two months after the Australian Federal Police told Parliament the man involved in the incident had been trying to kill himself and not targeting the activist group.
The man is listed to face the ACT Magistrates Court on June 7.
Tenants had to vacate the building after the explosion involving four nine-kilogram gas cylinders in a van but there was a delay in investigating due to the man's ongoing treatment for serious burns and a mental health condition.
"The incident was investigated by detectives from Criminal Investigations and ACT Policing now considers the investigation finalised," a police spokesman said.
"A brief of evidence has been provided to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The man will face charges of one count of arson and one count of property damage."
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin told Senate estimates hearings in March police had ruled out any political or ideological motivation for the explosion during an initial interview before the man's condition deteriorated.
He said the man had been trying to kill himself and had not been motivated by ACL activities or political messages, including its high-profile opposition to same-sex marriage laws in Australia.
Australian Christian Lobby managing director Lyle Shelton has repeatedly questioned the conclusions reached by police over the incident.
The man was flown to Sydney for treatment a day after walking five kilometres to Canberra Hospital in the wake of the late night explosion.
On Wednesday, Mr Shelton said the charges were "a welcome step forward" but he remained concerned the process had taken five months.
"I am also concerned that the police continue to refer to the incident which blew out thick glass windows on the ground floor and first floor of our office as a 'car fire'," Mr Shelton said.
"The AFP have made a number of seemingly contradictory statements about this incident. Why did this incident occur at the ACL office? Why not some other venue?
"How exactly were the AFP able to conclusively rule out particular motives so quickly? And will these public statements made by police prove to be appropriate ahead of legal proceedings?
"ACL looks forward to seeing these issues ventilated in court," he said.
??? Lifeline: 131 114
