Australian man 'planned blasts'

A man accused of plotting terrorist attacks in Australia planned to bomb the national electricity grid or Sydney defence sites, a court has heard.

Faheem Khalid Lodhi had collected maps of the power supply and aerial photos of defence bases, prosecutors claimed at the start of his trial.

Lawyers also told the Sydney court he wrote a "terrorism manual" and inquired about chemicals used in homemade bombs.

The defendant denies four charges of terrorism-related activities.

His lawyers are expected to make their opening remarks on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old sat quietly as prosecutors opened their case in the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney.

Richard Maidment claimed Mr Lodhi used a false name to buy two maps of the Australian electricity supply grid, and downloaded 38 aerial images of three Sydney military bases from the Internet.

The defendant was using the information to seek out a potential target, Mr Maidment said, according to the Associated Press.

'Disrupted'

The prosecutor claimed Mr Lodhi had previously worked at the three military bases, but the images were not necessary for his job as an architect, the agency reported.

"Fortunately, by late October 2003... [intelligence agents] had got wind of some of the accused's activities and effectively disrupted his preparations," he claimed.

Intelligence officers found what amounted to "a terrorism manual" when they searched his home that October, he said.

The notes contained instructions on the "manufacture of homemade poisons, explosives, detonators and incendiary devices", Mr Maidment claimed.

Mr Lodhi had also used a false business name and address to find out about buying chemicals which could be used to make explosives, the prosecutor said.