Elham Asaad Buaras

An Australian man charged over the discovery of explosive material and bomb-making manual at his home in Adelaide has been jailed for just over three years and three months on September 8.

Taking into account his time in custody and a 19-month non-parole period, Aaron Ellis — who was also in possession of the far-right manifesto by the Christchurch terrorist — could be released in about three months.

Ellis pleaded guilty to two counts of taking a step to manufacture an explosive device and to one count of possessing information on the manufacture of an explosive device.

The charges came after police converged on his home in April last year where they found explosive material along with instructions for making explosives and anti-Islamic documents.

Police also conducted controlled detonations of volatile substances in his backyard. Ellis was also in possession of the manifesto of the Christchurch far-right terrorist, who killed 51 Muslims at two mosques in New Zealand in March 2019.

Ellis claimed to have made the explosive material to produce firecrackers, but in sentencing, District Court Judge Rauf Soulio rejected that explanation and said Ellis “had been drawn into an online community that supported anti-Islamic views and became blinded by propaganda online,” he said.

Judge Soulio told Ellis he should take advantage of the period on parole to obtain treatment for his mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, his addiction to pain killers and depression. He also urged him to reconsider his views on the seriousness of his offending.