Police remain adamant they have smashed a neo-Nazi chapter in Perth despite the group's name featuring prominently in court yesterday after an alleged member was found guilty of shooting at a Perth mosque.
Bradley Neil Trappitt, who police claim is a member of supremacist group Combat 18, pleaded guilty in court to willfully and unlawfully damaging a Perth mosque and possessing an unlicensed firearm. He was fined $9750 in reparation and damage costs.
Trappitt drove three others to the Suleymaniye Mosque, in the south-eastern suburb of Queens Park, where they proceeded to fire three rounds at the mosque's roof on February 4.
His co-accused and ringleader in the shooting incident, Jacob Marshall Hort, had already pleaded guilty to similar charges and was sentenced to a seven-month suspended jail term.
Yesterday leaving court, Trappitt was flanked by two burly minders, who refused to comment about Combat 18 or the attack.
Trappitt's lawyer Curt Hofmann had earlier told the court the shooting wasn't racially motivated but just a stupid stunt by four friends who wanted to show off after they had been drinking.
However Combat 18 is globally renown for being founded on the ideology of neo-Nazism and white supremacy. The number 18 is derived from the initials of Adolf Hitler, with A and H being the first and eighth letters of the alphabet.
It was originally based in the United Kingdom and has chapters across the world.
In May, inspector Rob Anderson of the south-east metro district office said police had "more or less eliminated that faction within WA" after charging Trappitt and Hort.
Police specialists tasked to monitor the movements of racially motivated organisations, when contacted by WAtoday.com.au, said they would continue to investigate any individuals who breach the racial harassment and incitement section of the criminal code.
However "the information provided by Inspector Anderson on 26 May 2010 in relation to disbanding this group has not changed".
Members of Combat 18 have been contacted for comment.
