Phillip Galea Credit:Facebook Police told Thursday's hearing that a "systematic" search of Mr Galea's home on Ballarat Road in Braybrook had uncovered a large amount electronic material "related to the manufacture of explosives" and five tasers stored in a bag in the kitchen. Detective Leading Senior Constable Brett Parker of the arson and explosives squad said possession of tasers was illegal, but the devices were available on the black market. "It's almost like a cattle prod. It's designed to maim and disable someone," he said. On the floor of Mr Galea's study, police said they found a glass bottle containing what appeared to be mercury, a precursor chemical to the manufacture of drugs.

Protesters at an anti-Islam rally in Bendigo. Credit:Meredith O'Shea Meanwhile an initial examination by officers from the e-crime squad of electronic devices found encrypted files, material related to the United Patriots Front and The Anarchist Cookbook, which has information on making explosives and other illegal activities. Mr Galea appeared, barefoot, bearded and with his long hair in a ponytail at the hearing at City West Police Complex. Describing himself as Christian, he said that he had no intention of harming anyone and that anyone his age would have a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook. "At the moment, I'm actively involved in the patriots movement, which is why there would have been an awful amount of material," he said.

The United Patriots Front later posted a video on Facebook saying Mr Galea was not a member, but was instead with the Patriots Defence League Australia. This was confirmed by the PDLA, who said on their Facebook page they had cancelled his membership. Mr Galea's Facebook page is plastered with anti-Islamic sentiment. Last week he wrote that Melbourne is "currently in the early stage of Islamic takeover" and that Islam was a "religion of hate and war in which we are the enemy, and the people of Paris are the latest victim". Mr Galea was remanded in custody to appear in court at a later date. Police are investigating several other people in the lead-up to what is feared could be a violent clash between the anti-Islam group Reclaim Australian and pro-immigration group No Room for Racism.

The right-wing Reclaim Australia is planning to hold a protest in Melton on Sunday to protest against a planned mosque in Melton West and an Islamic school at a Victoria University campus. A counter-rally by what the police called "socialist left" groups is expected. Earlier, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane​ confirmed several other people were in custody. Following the terrorist attack in Paris on November 13, police have reassessed their approach to the expected clash and have urged those planning to attend to exercise restraint. "Two opposing groups [will] come together and there are individuals within that group whose views are extreme.

"What we're asking from anyone coming to the rally on Sunday, no matter which views you hold, is that you rally or demonstrate peacefully and that you think through what message you are trying to send," he said, adding that the police presence would be "sufficient" . Reclaim Australia spokesman John Bolton said up to 1000 people who were concerned about "the development of Islamic enclaves" in Australia would be at Sunday's rally in Melton. He is concerned the area could become "like they have Islamic ghettos in Paris". He rejected the suggestion that the rally would promote Islamic State by driving Muslim people to the terrorist group, which has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks. "The work of ISIS is clearly to kill people and that was going on for a long time before Reclaim," he said. "How people can say people like me - who are identifying the issue - are creating the issue, I think is academic nonsense."

This weekend's rally will be the fourth confrontation between both sides this year, with two held in Bendigo and one in Melbourne's CBD. All three clashes have resulted in significant violence, with multiple arrests made and people injured. Police believe several hundred people will attend but that could balloon to more than 1000, with both groups trying to outnumber the other. "I think the demonstration in the city and the two in Bendigo show us, both police and the community, that the extreme on either side are prepared to use violence to get their word heard the most," Mr Leane said. "So we're going prepared."

Mr Leane said Reclaim Australia were co-operating with police in regards to their numbers but that the socialist left group have refused to talk to police about their plans. The assistant commissioner said the attacks in Paris would have a significant impact on police forces across the world and how they approach large public gatherings and protests. "We've reflected all week on how we can keep the community of Victoria safe but it's changed the thinking of what is an appropriate response," Mr Leane said. He urged anyone with information about anyone intending to bring weapons to the rally or be violent to contact police. - With AAP