A Perth man has been charged with impersonating an Australian Federal Police official as part of an alleged attempt to overthrow the government.
The 49-year-old man from Tuart Hill is alleged to have claimed to be an AFP official during an unsuccessful attempt to obtain stamps and ID badges bearing the official AFP logo from a commercial business.
His alleged actions were uncovered during a Queensland Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) investigation into a group of people allegedly impersonating government officials and holding anti-government sentiment.
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Police will allege that members of the group are responsible for a video circulating through social media channels that falsely claims to be a recording of AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw.
The video urges Australians to overthrow the government and calls for others to join the movement. The video is false and the man speaking in it is not Mr Kershaw.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Scott Lee said it was concerning a group of people had allegedly arranged the manufacture of AFP replica badges and creation of a false video online.
"We have found no evidence this group has the ability – or has actually attempted – to carry out specific violent acts in support of statements made by members of this group," Mr Lee said.
"The Queensland JCTT acted early in this instance to stop any potential disturbing activities at the earliest possible stage, and we will not hesitate to lay further charges if more criminal offences are identified."
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He re-iterated that the video was false and should be treated as "utter nonsense".
"The general public needs to know that a video purporting to be of the AFP Commissioner calling for people to join in a plan to create a new government is complete and utter nonsense – it is not from the Commissioner, it is not from the AFP and has absolutely no credibility," he said.
"We continue to investigate those we believe are responsible for creating it."
The man from Tuart Hill was charged with one count of impersonating a Commonwealth public official, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Monday, August 16.
