Couple remain in custody after carpark bomb found

A MAN accused of making an explosive device that was found in an Ipswich shopping centre carpark on Monday has been remanded in custody.

Cvjetin Ivkovic, 37, did not appear in Ipswich Magistrates Court yesterday after he was charged with 17 offences, including four counts of manufacturing an explosive device.

Police charged him with nine offences related to his arrest and another eight after they searched his premises.

He was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on April 20, when his defence lawyer Daniel Boddice said “some other matters will be heard”.

Christine Michelle Scifleet, 31, who was allegedly with Ivkovic at the shopping centre, also had her matter mentioned but did not appear in court.

She faces seven charges relating to theft, fraud and forgery, but not explosive charges. She was remanded in custody until today to allow her time to arrange a private lawyer.

The couple were arrested on Monday after a large glass jar containing an explosive liquid was allegedly found in a cardboard box inside their car.

Police claim the pair parked their silver sedan, which had false number plates, in the car park of the Redbank Plaza shopping centre on Monday morning before it opened.

Officers were called following reports the pair were acting suspiciously. An exclusion zone was set up while bomb squad officers dismantled the device.

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart would not comment directly on the case but said it was “very disturbing” people could possess these types of materials.