Police have charged a 20-year-old man they allege was planning a “mass casualty” terror attack targeting public buildings in Western Australia.
Jayson Joseph Michaels, 20, from the town of Bindoon north of Perth, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday, facing five charges.
Premier Roger Cook told a press conference on Friday it would be alleged Mr Michaels was plotting to attack WA Parliament House, police headquarters and Muslim faith places of worship.
WA’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team — made up of WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO — confirmed they had been investigating Mr Michaels’ online activities.
Jayson Joseph Michaels lived at his parents home in Bindoon. (ABC News)
They said that led them to execute a search warrant at his home in Bindoon yesterday.
Mr Michaels has been charged with acting in preparation for a terrorist act, using a carriage service to menace or harass, possessing a prohibited weapon and two firearms offences.
It’s alleged Mr Michaels was motivated by a white supremacist ideology, Mr Cook told media on Friday afternoon.
“There is no ongoing threat,” he said.
Roger Cook says there is no ongoing threat in the community. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said police had been monitoring Mr Michaels since January.
“We have now seized firearms, imitation firearms, a ballistic vest, gas masks, lock picking equipment,” he said.
WA police commissioner Col Blanch says police has been looking into the accused’s online activities since January. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“Most concerningly, there was a notebook that outlined preparations for a terrorist attack at significant locations including the WA police headquarters building, Parliament House, and places of Muslim faith in WA,” Mr Blanch said it would be alleged.
Commissioner Blanch said police would allege he was acting alone, adding the charge was “extremely serious” and has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
He said seven firearms had been seized and a large knife collection.
Commissioner Blanch said the man lived with his parents and alleged he had been radicalised online.
Security had been bolstered at Muslim places of worship and Parliament House, the commissioner said.
Australian Federal Police Superintendent Peter Hatch said it was the first time a person had been charged with preparing for a terrorist act in WA.
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37m agoFri 27 Feb 2026 at 8:37am
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37m agoFri 27 Feb 2026 at 8:37am
Ideology was clear: Commissioner
Mr Blanch says identifying the ideology behind the alleged offence was able to be done quickly this time, as opposed to the almost two weeks it took before charging a man over the January 26 Invasion Day rally incident.
“[After] the January 26 attack we had to identify, as part of our investigation, the ideology that related to it,” he says.
“That then allowed us to charge [the accused] with the correct charge.
“We didn’t have what we had on this occasion, which is that when we executed the search warrant, the ideology was clearly, in our view, sufficient to meet the threshold of the charge,” he alleged.
45m agoFri 27 Feb 2026 at 8:29am
Beefed up security
Mr Blanch is flagging an increased security presence around Parliament House, and Muslim places of worship.
“One of the reasons we are engaging with our Muslim leaders is to increase patrols around there,” he says.
“That’s why we are meeting them today, to go through not only the security protocols, but certainly to explain that we will be increasing our security presence, as we have and still are after January 26 for our Aboriginal community, but also to give them reassurance that this matter is now confined and there is no threat to them.”
Show more’Deeply shocking’
In a statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the alleged terrorist plot was deeply shocking.
“Allegations the man was planning to target the Muslim community through attacks on mosques — as well as attacks on the WA police and parliament — are particularly distressing,” he said.
“There is no place in our country for any kind of racially or religiously-motivated prejudice or hate.
“As I’ve said many times, we need to take the temperature down.
“Political leaders have a particular responsibility not to fan the flames of bigotry.”
Court appearance
In the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon, Mr Michaels shook his head when Magistrate Belinda Coleman asked if he understood the offences, which span between December 13 last year and February 26,
Mr Michaels appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
The court was told police found a notepad at his address with entries that start from mid-December to a few days ago that allegedly indicate the preparation.
The Commonwealth prosecutor said the strength of the case was reliant on the diary, as well as Telegram posts.
Mr Michaels’s lawyer Roman Kan said he was concerned for his client’s mental health.
He asked the magistrate to order a home detention report in preparation for a bail application hearing.
“You have to demonstrate exceptional reasons as to why you should be released from custody,” Magistrate Coleman told Mr Michaels.
“It’s an exceptionally high bar.”
Mr Michaels will appear in court again on March 23.
Identity of man charged over Perth alleged terrorism act revealed
The charges come weeks after a 31-year-old Perth man was charged with committing a terrorist act — the first such charge laid in WA’s history.
That man, Liam Alexander Hall, is accused of throwing a homemade bomb into a large crowd of people gathered for an Invasion Day rally in Perth’s CBD on January 26.
The device, which police claimed was filled with screws and ball bearings and designed to explode on impact, failed to detonate.