A Melbourne man has been found guilty of plotting terror attacks against “left wing” targets including Trades Hall and creating a handbook for would-be attackers.

Far-right extremist Phillip Galea, 35, was charged with doing acts in preparation or planning a terrorist act and attempting to make a document to facilitate a terrorist act.

He was found guilty by a Victorian supreme court jury after deliberating for about two days following a seven-week trial.

Galea was accused plotting attacks on Melbourne anarchist and socialist groups between August 2015 and 2016 to “eliminate the leaders of the left”.

The 35-year-old equated the “left wing” with Muslims and held the former responsible for the “Islamisation of Australia”, the jury was told during the trial.

He was also accused of working on a terror how-to document he called the Patriot’s Cookbook.

But Galea – who was associated with the far-right group Reclaim Australia – insisted he was making a “satirical document” for people to enjoy, inspired by another “hilarious” parody book.

“I intended it to be taken as a joke,” he said.

Galea has been in custody since his arrest in August 2016.

Arson and explosive experts raided Galea’s home in November 2015 and seized five cattle prods and 362.1 grams of mercury.

Computer equipment was also seized, and it was alleged Galea researched homemade bombs, ballistic armour and guns.

The jury began deliberations on Monday afternoon and returned the guilty verdicts on Thursday.

He will appear for a pre-sentence hearing in March next year.