Detective Sergeant Jeffrey White outside of City Central Police Station in Sydney. Picture Craig Greenhill Source: News Corp Australia
Dr Andrew Chang who Lia blamed for his eye disease. Source: Supplied
A HERO cop with a "gut feeling" prevented a bomber from detonating two devices with more power than the Boston Marathon bombs in the heart of Sydney.
Rocks Detective Sergeant Jeffrey White tracked down bomber David Lia less than two days before he planned to detonate two bombs packed with ball bearings, nails and pieces of chain outside the Sydney Eye Hospital in Macquarie St last year.
Yesterday Lia, 43, from Albion Park, was sentenced in Wollongong District Court to three years and two months jail after pleading guilty to making explosives with intent to injure. He will be eligible for parole on April 7, 2015.
On March 28 last year Sgt White read an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers: "A man is planning to murder a doctor. He is planning to attend Sydney Eye Hospital and was a former patient, he was blinded and wants to attack the doctor with a bomb or knife … his last known address was in Wagga Wagga but now I believe he may be in the Wollongong area.''
The bomb-making materials. Source: Supplied
Materials used for making a bomb. Source: Supplied
Before he hung up the caller said the attack was to happen around April 6 or 7. Sgt White had just over a week to track and stop the bomber.
"There was something about it … it just bothered me. A lot of the guys said don't worry, it's nothing, but I didn't think so,'' he said. Sgt White called the Health Complaints Commission, Australian Ophthalmology Association and the hospital to see if any specialists were having problems with patients.
The hospital medical director started to ring round. "On the fifth call she got a hit. A doctor had a patient who was obsessive and blamed him for his blindness,'' Sgt White said.
Would-be bomber David Lia on CCTV footage. Source: Supplied
At 10pm on April 4, Sgt White sent local detectives to Lia's home in Albion Park. Lia's wife Vanessa, fearing for her life, said he was not home.
The next day Lia left the country on a pre-booked ticket to Malta. Relatives said they believe that knock on the door put him off his plans.
Four days later Lia's wife rang police — she had found two bombs in a room where her husband had been living. The home-made devices had the potential to wreak destruction far worse than the Boston Marathon bombs, which exploded just days later.
Detective Sergeant Jeffrey White acted on a gut feeling. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Corp Australia
"We think he planned to go to Sydney on the Monday, hide the bags and catch a taxi to the airport," Sgt White said. Lia was arrested on his return to Sydney. He had PCP piping and internet documents on how to make black powder in his bags. He remained obsessed with revenge against Dr Chang.
"He said he had tried to do it the right way and Australia had left him no choice but to do it the wrong way,'' Sgt White said.
Then-Rocks acting crime manager Detective Inspector Damian Loone said: "There is no doubt that if White had not sent those police to knock on his door there would have been bodies in the street. He did a fabulous job and doesn't give himself enough credit. A lot of people would not have followed through on a tip like that. But he kept digging and digging."
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