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| War veteran 'in club bomb hoax' |
| 2005-08-10 |
| A WAR veteran who allegedly threatened to blow up a club with explosives supposedly wired to his body was released on bail yesterday - and then saluted by his wife as he left court. Outside the court, David Buck's wife Michelle put on a captain's hat and saluted her husband as he got into their car. Buck, 53, was allegedly wearing an earpiece, a small microphone on his shirt and a backpack containing a battery and wires when he walked into Umina Bowling Club on Monday at 1.35pm. A police statement tendered to Gosford Local Court alleged Buck handed the club manager a note claiming "two cell members" were inside the club and that explosives would be detonated if the manager did not fill a bag with money. Magistrate Garry Cocks said the alleged incident was "everybody's worst nightmare" in the current climate of terrorism. The court heard that Buck, who was wearing a floppy tan coloured canvas hat, sunglasses, backpack and bumbag, was shaking uncontrollably after handing the note to the club manager. "The Jew that handed you this note is wired with 11kg of remotely detonated explosives - 10kg in the backpack and one kilo in the bag around his waist," the note allegedly stated. "Two of my cell members are inside your club and will be watching. Raise no alarms and do not attempt to evacuate the club or I will detonate the explosives. "You are to place all the paper money into a bag and give the bag to the Jew. The Jew is to confirm there are no dye bombs with the money. "Should you fail to comply immediately I will not hesitate to kill the Jew and all the other unbelievers in your club." The court heard that the club manager began to evacuate patrons through a rear door while they waited for police to arrive. A short time later Buck walked out the front door and was followed by a club maintenance manager who had experience with explosives in the army. The maintenance manager approached the accused and said "OK I think we have gone far enough" before Buck sat in the gutter and waited for police. He was arrested a short time later. No bomb or explosives were found. Buck, of Umina Beach, dressed in a navy blue suit, sat calmly in the dock during his court appearance yesterday where he faced charges of robbery and demand property with menaces with intent to steal. Legal aid solicitor Lesley Jansen, appearing for Buck, told the court her client had been receiving treatment at Richmond's St John of God Hospital for three years for Mr Cocks granted bail but banned Buck, who entered no plea, from Umina Bowling Club and ordered him to report to Woy Woy police station daily. The case was adjourned to September 22. |
| Posted by:Oztralian [AKA] God Save The World |
| #2 "war veteran" as the lede. The press never gives up, do they? |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-08-10 07:43 |
| #1 I wouldn't be crossing that maintenance man. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-08-10 07:33 |