A former journalist bought a scimitar from Pakistan before trying to lure Christians to his Canberra home and threatening to kill them in reprisal for the Christchurch massacre, a court has heard.
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James Michael Waugh, 28, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday where he made a second unsuccessful attempt at bail. A prosecutor, Rae-ann Khazma, said that since his arrest, Mr Waugh had expressed an intention to leave the territory to live in remote western Queensland or central Australia.
He told a doctor that he did not recognise the Australian government and that Australian laws did not apply to him. It was these admissions that persuaded Magistrate Peter Morrison not to free the man from custody. It would be impossible for the court to have confidence Mr Waugh would comply with bail conditions, he said.
Mr Waugh, a former Canberra journalist, was arrested at his home in Griffith, Canberra, on April 2. But police were alerted to his online activities 10 days earlier when a friend of his tipped off the National Security Hotline.
"I have issued threats, along with my name and address, to every coward dog church in Canberra. If you know someone with balls send them along. I've bought scimitar and intend to cut their heads off in my front yard as reprisal," it's alleged Mr Waugh messaged a group of people.
Police went to the Griffith home that same day and spoke to Mr Waugh. A member of ACT mental health went along and concluded that Mr Waugh was "extremely opinionated" and showing some signs of being delusional and perhaps paranoid.
On March 26, a couple of days later, a psychiatrist joined police at the home and said he had no mental health concerns. Mr Waugh has not been diagnosed with any mental illness.
Police had also found handwritten notes listing various weapons, which Mr Waugh said he intended to buy to prepare for a day of judgment, the prosecutor Ms Khazma said. By broadcasting his address Mr Waugh had prepared to engage in battle and rely on self-defence to make himself a martyr, she said.
Mr Waugh has been charged with possessing an object with the intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, using a carriage service in a menacing manner and making threats to kill. He has not entered pleas. He is due back in court in May.
