Terror accused 'had guns, explosive chemicals'

Artem Vasilyev, 27, of Findon, in Adelaide's western suburbs, has pleaded not guilty to one count of committing other acts done in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.

Scott Henchcliffe, for Vasilyev, told the South Australian Supreme Court on Thursday that all elements of the alleged offence were in dispute, but his client did not deny having an interest in firearms.

"There will be evidence that Mr Vasilyev had a firearms licence and had three registered firearms at his house in 2021 - perfectly legal. And that is an example of important context you will hear," he said.

"It is not alleged or suggested that Mr Vasilyev committed a terrorist act. Instead, the prosecution case in a nutshell is that Mr Vasilyev was preparing for, or planning to, attack an unmanned electrical substation at Cherry Gardens in the Adelaide foothills, with the intention of advancing the ideological cause of white nationalism," Mr Henchcliffe said.

"The prosecution case only has to be simply described in those terms, I would suggest, for its inherent absurdity to be apparent," he said.

"How could anyone think such an attack could advance such a cause?"

He said his client had no intention of carrying out any attack.

Prosecutor Justin Hannebery KC previously alleged Vasilyev conducted digital reconnaissance of, and researched methods to, destroy the substation.

Completing his opening address to the jury on Thursday, Mr Hannebery said two searches of the home that Vasilyev shared with his mother in 2021 were central to the case.

At the time, Vasilyev worked at the Defence Department's Defence Science and Technology Group analysing radio frequencies.

In the first search, in August 2021, police found an improvised AR-15 semi-automatic firearm produced by a 3D printer. There was also a box containing 3D-printed gun parts used to make an FGC-9 firearm.

"If you're wondering, FGC stands for "F*** Gun Control and the 9 stands for 9mm," Mr Hannebery told the jury.

A 3D printer was also found, along with a printout containing the methodology to manufacture 3D FGC firearms. Other firearms and ammunition were also located.

Mr Hannebery said Vasilyev told police he didn't realise the FGC weapon produced by his printer would be functional and he thought he was making a model.

Police also seized phones, computers and storage devices.

A PC was logged into the chat application Telegram, for an account named Panzer and Grettel. Police analysis showed the account had sent 108 PDF files to an account named Vlad. These included handbooks on chemicals, explosives, warfare and white ethnic societies.

"The use of this account and the things that are being sent to Vlad, are very much a core of the prosecution case because it reveals Mr Vasilyev's state of mind at the relevant time," Mr Hannebery said.

Hard drives on the PC contained documents on firearms, explosives, how to avoid or escape detection and nationalist and racist ideology, the court was told.

Mr Hannebery said a mobile phone registered to Vasilyev contained a montage of images from the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre and a copy of the body camera video footage the perpetrator, Brenton Tarrant, uploaded to the internet.

Images and video files related to anti-semitic, neo-nazi and right-wing extremism were also located, he said.

Police returned to the Findon home in September, 2021. A search uncovered ammunition, pistol holders and components for the manufacture of firearms, along with four "black skull" face covers, commonly referred to as siege masks.

Officers found a substance later confirmed to be the explosive precursor ammonium nitrate.

Chemicals used to produce an incendiary substance called thermite were also found. It can produce heat in excess of 2000C, which can cut through metal objects.

The trial, before Justice Sandi McDonald, continues.

Australian Associated Press