A man accused of preparing a terrorist act has told a Melbourne court he believes the charges are a “conspiracy against the patriot movement”.

Phillip Galea, 31, from Baybrook, did not apply for bail during his brief appearance in the Melbourne magistrates court on Sunday.

Victoria’s joint counter-terrorism team arrested Galea in Baybrook on Saturday. He has been charged with collecting or making documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act and planning or preparing for a terrorist act.

“I will be fighting these charges and I believe they are a conspiracy against the patriot movement,” Galea told magistrate Robert Kumar.

He has been remanded in custody to next appear on August 9.

Police say an “escalating threat” to the community forced them to raid four homes and arrest the 31-year-old man on Saturday.

Police said “the individual in custody has a number of affiliations to different organisations” and was known to police. Galea is believed to be a member of Reclaim Australia.

Forensic investigators continued collecting evidence at the Braybrook address in Melbourne’s west where the 31-year-old was arrested.

Police executed four warrants across Melbourne and rural properties on Saturday.

Counter-terrorism command assistant commissioner Ross Guenther said: “The threat was specific enough to cause alarm in terms of the risk it would cause the community.”

He said the raids were in relation to intelligence that an individual or a group were attempting to harm Victorians and producing documents that would incite people to harm others.

Guenther said no other arrests were expected at this stage. He said tip-offs via the national security hotline were helpful in the joint investigation by Victoria police and the Australian federal police.

The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said there was no imminent threat relating to the charges.

“As I’m advised ... there was no imminent threat to safety that was imminent coming from the charges laid against this particular person,” he told reporters.