Australian inquiry will hear evidence that Christian extremists killed 3 in an act of terrorism

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An inquiry will hear evidence that three Christian extremists who killed two police officers and a bystander and wounded a third police officer in an ambush on a rural Australian property in 2022 committed an act of terrorism aimed at intimidating state authorities, a coroner was told on Monday.

Queensland State Coroner Terry Ryan began hearing the inquiry into a siege in the sparsely populated Wieambilla region west of the state capital, Brisbane, on Dec. 12, 2022.

Brothers Gareth and Nathaniel Train and Gareth’s wife Stacey Train were killed by police hours after they fired on four police officers who attended their fortified Wieambilla property to check on Nathaniel’s welfare. Stacey had been married to Nathaniel and had two children with him before marrying his older brother.

The lawyer presenting the evidence, Ruth O’Gorman, said in her opening statement that Deakin University political sociologist Josh Roose would give evidence to the hearing that the ambush was terrorism.

“He has opined that the events of Dec. 12, 2022, constitute a terrorist act done with the intention of advancing a religious ideological cause with the aim of coercing and intimidating the Queensland government and specifically the Queensland Police Service who were viewed as public state actors and evil, demonic and as devils through this religious framework,” O’Gorman said.

The inquest was shown a video that Gareth and Stacey posted on social media from their house as police helicopters and armored vehicles surrounded them, calling on them to surrender.

The couple had directed their message to Arizona resident Donald Day Jr., who has since been charged in the United States with making threatening online comments.

“They