Artem Vasilyev, a former Department of Defence employee and electronics engineer, has been found not guilty of planning a terrorist attack on an electrical substation in the Adelaide Hills. The 27-year-old was acquitted after a 12-person jury deliberated for nearly 13 hours.
Vasilyev was arrested in September 2021 and accused of plotting an attack on the Cherry Gardens infrastructure in South Australia. Prosecutors claimed he intended to carry out the attack to advance white nationalism. However, the defense successfully argued that there was no concrete evidence linking Vasilyev to such intentions.
Throughout the trial, the defense emphasized that Vasilyev’s interests, including his searches and activities, were not indicative of planning a terrorist act. They pointed out his passion for hiking and visiting historical sites, which the prosecution had misinterpreted.
Although Vasilyev was acquitted of the terrorism charges, he had previously pleaded guilty to separate firearms charges. These charges will be addressed in court at a later date.
The unanimous verdict of not guilty brings an end to the allegations of terrorism against Vasilyev, with the defense maintaining that there was a lack of substantive evidence to support the prosecution’s claims.
