Australian Federal Police have charged a Queensland man over alleged email threats to a federal politician.
Inquiries were launched by the AFP’s National Security Investigations team in April following a report from a parliamentarian’s office regarding allegedly offensive and threatening emails and voice messages.
Officers conducted a search warrant at a Gympie address on Monday after linking a 33-year-old man to the alleged threatening behaviour.
He was arrested and charged with six counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The man faces a maximum penalty of five years behind bars.
He is set to appear before Gympie Magistrates Court on August 3.
AFP Detective Superintendent Bill Freeman said the police force “does not tolerate” such behaviour.
“The AFP uses a range of tools, including world-leading technology and intelligence techniques, to identify individuals who break the law by harassing, menacing or threatening Commonwealth officials,” Det Supt Freeman said.
The arrest comes after the establishment of the AFP’s NSI teams in October last year.
The teams were set up to target people causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion.