00:00This all unfolded just after midday yesterday as a crowd of hundreds had gathered right in the heart of Perth CBD for an invasion day rally. Attendees reported seeing somebody from the upper levels of the area throw something down towards the stage. Police say he then told them that the device may have been explosive. They quickly evacuated the area.
00:25What they found police say was an item with screws and ball bearings contained in some kind of container surrounded by liquid. The police commissioner Cole Blanche has spoken on radio this morning saying that initial testing on that substance shows that it was designed to explode on impact. That's what police will be alleging and they don't know why it didn't.
00:46Now as all of that was getting underway in the CBD offices we're also out here in Warwick in Perth's north searching one of the homes behind me one of the rear units here. As part of the investigation locals here tell me they were surprised to see so many police in their suburb on Australia Day.
01:05Well we just disbelieve really I mean we just don't understand it because you know it's all very quiet here and everybody peaceful you know it's very simple community and we have gatherings here every month at least once down on the street and get on very well and yeah I've never noticed anything really.
01:31Now it's unclear what connection that house that has to what happened in the city but police have now charged a man with intent to do harm in such a way as to endanger life health or safety and with making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances.
01:49The ABC understands he's been denied bail he remains in police custody and is expected to front court later today. The investigation is still ongoing. The ABC has been told that WA police are now being assisted by the national joint counter terror team although we understand that's not necessarily an indication that there is a terror element to what happened but it's just standard practice at the early stage of an investigation like this.
02:19It's an investigation that no doubt will continue for some time.
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