<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="_blank" title="WA "><span>WA</span></a><span> Police Commissioner Col Blanch has defended his response to the alleged terrorist attack targeted at </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/indigenous-australians" rel="" target="_blank" title="Indigenous Australians"><span>Indigenous Australians</span></a><span>, but admitted he could have been clearer with the public.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have received widespread criticism for </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/perth-terror-charge-invasion-day-rally-alleged-explosive/b714ed83-f9ad-4a66-a180-e35880b8600c" rel="" target="" title="taking nine days to charge a man, accused of hurling a homemade bomb"><span>taking nine days to charge a man, accused of hurling a homemade bomb</span></a><span> into a crowd of 2500 protesters at an Invasion Day rally in Perth, with terrorism.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Blanch today said while it was fairly clear to police the actions were terrorism from early on, they had to establish motive.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/capital-gains-tax-discount-parliamentary-budget-office-analysis/4fc12d1b-e962-401e-b1ba-0b15d68ba03b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussies dealt $250 billion blow as cost of controversial policy snowballs</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are extraordinary powers, so if I needed to use them because I was concerned for ongoing community safety, I would have no hesitation in calling it a terrorist attack," he said at a press conference this afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Importantly, the motivation and ideology and the intent has to be shown by the person who undertook the attack. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All of us look at a bomb thrown at a rally for Invasion Day, it tells us innately, of course, it is likely a terrorist attack, but the courts would have a dim view of police coming to a judgment without evidence and showing inherent bias.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/wa-police-commissioner-grilled-on-response-to-alleged-terror-bombing-at-indigenous-rally/20522743-0d7a-4912-9ede-a738ecdd4176" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In fact, a good defence lawyer would say we'd already made our mind up."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Blanch said police were patient and collected evidence through interviewing the accused, his friends, family and the community, and downloading his devices.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anzac-cemetery-bulldozed-during-gaza-war-to-be-restored/84483e0e-cd6e-48d9-acfe-72865d376d20" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Sacred Australian war graves damaged during Gaza fighting</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Those three things took nine days and the Australian Federal Police Commissioner was very clear and said, in the broad scheme of things, when ideology is not evident in a terrorist attack, nine days is pretty quick," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Invasion Day rally organiser Fabian Yarran told 9News, they're just glad authorities got there in the end.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It took a long time but we're happy that it's came out and this guy's getting charged under the terrorism act," Yarran said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/perth-forrest-place-alleged-bomb-attack-questions-arise-over-potential-terrorism-declaration/ca3b100a-5164-428d-ae51-a9f02fdf47e1" rel="" target="_blank" title="Indigenous leaders, rally organisers and politicians also raised concerns"><span>Indigenous leaders, rally organisers and politicians also raised concerns</span></a><span> about why it took police over two days to confirm they were investigating the matter as a potential terror attack.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That possibility must be taken extremely seriously, not avoided or downplayed," Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe said last week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-weather-rain-and-storms-to-impact-entire-country/c1c681ab-e3b1-4b90-9936-0c52171af944" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Huge weather turnaround to bring storms, floods for millions</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Blanch said he thought it was "pretty clear" they were doing so after comments he made to the media on the day of the incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But, after some confusion, he said the state's Joint Counter-Terrorism Team released a statement two days later to clarify.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What I said on the day was, to charge for terrorism, I will need to identify an ideology and advancing the cause of that ideology and that's what the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team was doing," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I thought that was pretty clear that we're investigating terrorism, but perhaps I'll reflect on my words to assist media communicate that throughout the country."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 31-year-old man remains before the court charged with one count of engaging in a terrorist act, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This is the first time a person has been charged with engaging in a terrorist act offence in Western Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police alleged the man engaged in a nationalist and racially motivated attack targeting Indigenous people at the Invasion Day rally. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The court has suppressed his identity over concerns for his safety. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Noongar elder Uncle Herbert Bropho said action needs to be taken at the highest level to address racism in the community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Racism is killing our people, white supremacy is killing our people or attempting to, and we need to make sure this is addressed. This is a national issue," he told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> </span><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>