Man Charged After Throwing Suspected Homemade Bomb At Crowd In Perth

SYDNEY, Jan 27 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Police in Western Australia (WA) have charged a man who allegedly threw a suspected homemade bomb into a crowd of protesters in the state capital of Perth on Monday, Xinhua reported.

The WA Police Force said on Tuesday that the 31-year-old man from Perth's northern suburbs has been charged with one count of making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances and with one count of endangering the life, health and safety of others.

The man was arrested immediately after he allegedly threw a device into a crowd of thousands of people who had gathered in central Perth to protest on Australia Day on Monday afternoon.

The incident triggered a major emergency response and an evacuation of the area.

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told reporters on Monday evening that the device contained ball bearings, screws and an unknown liquid in a glass container.

The device did not detonate and there were no reported injuries, but WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said that the incident could have been a mass casualty event.

Nine Entertainment newspapers reported on Tuesday that forensic officers deployed to the man's home were seen removing items from the residence and pouring chemicals into large drums.

Blanch said on Monday that police believe there is no ongoing threat to the public.

--BERNAMA-XINHUA