The man accused of throwing a homemade bomb into a crowd at a Perth Invasion Day rally has been identified as Liam Alexander Hall, after a court lifted a suppression order on Tuesday.
Police allege the 32-year-old tossed a device described as a 'fragment bomb' filled with ball bearings and screws into the crowd in Perth's CBD on January 26, in what is considered an alleged act of terrorism. Hall is the first person in Western Australia's history to be charged with engaging in a terrorist act.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch stated prosecutors will allege the attack 'was a nationalist and racially motivated attack targeting members of the Aboriginal community, First Nations people.'
In Perth Magistrates Court, Magistrate Lynnette Dias rejected arguments from Hall's lawyer, Simon Freitag SC, that his identity should remain concealed for his safety. Freitag cited a doctor's report indicating Hall was not fit to attend court due to a vulnerable mental health condition.
Magistrate Dias ruled that the evidence did not justify departing from the usual practice of naming accused persons, emphasizing the serious nature of the charges and principles of open justice. Lawyers for the Commonwealth and WA Police supported revealing Hall's identity, citing public interest and a risk of misidentification from social media images.
The court granted a six-week adjournment to assess Hall's treatment progress. Freitag indicated no bail application is expected. Hall shares a name with a former One Nation candidate, but the party leader confirmed they are different individuals.
