Queensland Police have launched an ethical standards probe into how a television station obtained sensitive details about a large explosives haul discovered in a Pullenvale home.
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The explosives were found at the Red Cedar Road property on August 13. However authorities refused to say exactly what was discovered.
On August 18, the Nine Network revealed police had seized 29 kilograms of explosive chemicals and 22 litres of liquid explosives. These included the highly volatile explosives TATP, HMDT and DMDT.
Nine's story also said police discovered two hand-drawn A4 maps in the rental home. One appeared to be a Sydney CBD intersection near Central Station while the other was an area on the outskirts of Newcastle.
The man at the centre of the investigation, Daniel Fing, was already in custody in NSW on unrelated matters when the items were found.
Fairfax Media understands senior Queensland police were furious about the explosives details being aired and ordered an internal investigation to determine if the leak came from local police.
A Queensland Police spokesman confirmed an ethical standards investigation was now under way but could not comment further.
When contacted by Fairfax Media, NSW police and the AFP refused to say whether they were conducting their own internal inquiries into the leak.
Instead they referred all questions to Queensland Police, who in turn would not say whether they had asked the other police forces to check if their members had provided the information.
Queensland police, NSW police and the Australian Federal Police all refused to comment on Nine's story, but links to terrorism were ruled out early in the investigation.
Mr Fing, who is from Newcastle, was once jailed for blowing up a love rival's car in his home town of Newcastle.
He has not been charged over the explosives find at Pullenvale.
Mr Fing is due to face Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday on unrelated charges.
