John Howard Amundsen

Who is John Howard Amundsen?

John Howard Amundsen gained some notoriety in 2006 being one of the first Australians to be charged under new anti-terrorist laws. Initially suspected of being a part of a wider terrorist plot, it quickly became apparent that Amundsen acted alone and, sadly, was suffering from substantial psychiatric illness. An only child living with his mother in his Aspley childhood home, Amundsen was a loner who built few lasting friendships both at school and in the workplace. With a long time fascination with law-enforcement, it is interesting to note that a 1995 psychiatric assessment found that he suffered from a delusional disorder in which he claimed ongoing persecution by the Queensland police service. The same report noted his substantial intellect, allegedly describing him as being in the top 5 percentile of the population in terms of intelligence.

"In general, Mr Amundsen complained that he had been subjected to overwhelming harassment by a Queensland Police Service officer or officers over a significant period of time," the report says. "He believed his driving and his home were subject to surveillance. He believed that he was stopped regularly and routinely on the roads for 'random' breath alcohol tests and other matters."