Acting on a tip-off, the Hawks last week nabbed the leader of a right-wing Christian organisation who was allegedly about to launch a terror campaign targeting shopping malls and informal settlements.
On Thursday, as mense prepared for Black Friday, the Hawks raided two huise of the leader of the National Christian Resistance Movement (NCRM) aka the Crusaders, Harry Johannes Knoesen.
One of the residences, they suspect, contained a bomb factory, reported the Saturday Star.
The 60-year-old was arrested at his house in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, and charged with terrorism-related activities, and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammo.
The Hawks raided his farm in the Eastern Cape and found chemicals, electronic devices, documents and an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
“We are trying to work out what chemicals are being used,” said Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
Hawk investigators have apparently been investigating Knoesen for the past two years, but had to rush to arrest him after they received a tip-off that he was about to launch an attack that would target national key points including army bases, shopping malls and informal settlements.
“These attacks were to be directed towards black people,” Mulaudzi added.
During his court appearance, it emerged self-confessed racist had called on his members on social media to gather their weapons and shoot black people.
He asked a member to secure him AK47s, handguns, ammo and RPGs.
Mulaudzi could not reveal how large Knoesen’s following is.
The Crusaders’ website only revealed their emblem, with the motto: “Yield to none”.