Bikie boss allegedly directed Bondi attacks
NSW Police have arrested and charged 14 people over antisemitic incidents across Sydney, with an abandoned explosives-laden caravan ruled an elaborate scheme.
Alleged bikie boss Sayed Moosawi is one of 14 people arrested and charged with 65 offences following investigations into antisemitic incidents across Sydney’s east.
The former Nomads chapter president allegedly directed two arson attacks on Bondi businesses – the Curly Lewis Brewery and the Lewis Continental Kitchen – which had been previously linked to an organiser calling himself “James Bond”.
He pleaded not guilty and did not apply for bail in the Waverley Local Court on Tuesday morning.
The 14 people arrested are accused of varying roles in antisemitic attacks that terrorised Sydney on behalf of organised crime bosses, including arson, hateful graffiti and a fabricated caravan bomb plot.
On Monday, officers from NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police said a caravan discovered containing explosives in Dural in Sydney’s west and other antisemitic attacks across Sydney’s east were a “con job” fabricated by organised criminals trying to either distract police or influence a prosecution.
In a joint release, NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley said police have worked around the clock to get to the bottom of these crimes and “those investigations have had a major resolution”.
“There is no mistake that these acts have wrought fear and anxiety in our Jewish community and we will not tolerate this, not now, not ever,” they said.
“Police will allege that those arrested today for the most serious of these crimes had criminal and financial motives. But nobody should be in any doubt, we have endured a summer of hateful, vicious incidents such as vile antisemitic graffiti attacks and many of these appear to have been motivated simply by nasty, racist hatred. We can never accept that. The NSW Government and NSW Police Force will remain vigilant and act swiftly to bring perpetrators to justice so as to eradicate this atrocious behaviour whenever it occurs.”
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said while it is now clear that there was no threat from the caravan incident at Dural, “this despicable event was designed to spread fear in the Jewish community and provoke division”.
“Those who concocted the criminal hoax and helped spread it have caused incalculable harm,” he said.
“Antisemitic behaviour has no place in Australia and we utterly condemn it wherever it occurs. This activity is part of the continuing effort to combat antisemitic crime by the Australian Federal Police and other law enforcement agencies.
“We back our police. This is why it’s so important that we let our agencies do their jobs without political interference. I thank them for their work on this important matter.”
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip has welcomed the arrests and said the criminals who arranged and carried out the attacks, “sought to take advantage of already-strained social cohesion and unprecedented levels of antisemitism by targeting the Jewish community for their own personal benefit”.
“This is reprehensible and had a chilling effect on the Jewish community. The findings of this investigation should not in any way diminish the summer of fear and anxiety which the Jewish community experienced or the vicious nature of the attacks which included the attempted arson of Synagogues and the firebombing of a childcare centre. Nor should it take away from the record levels of antisemitism experienced over the past 18 months in Australia.
“Today’s arrests and the confirmation that the caravan plot was fabricated will bring some comfort to the Jewish community and we look forward to receiving further information as the investigation continues to progress.”
President of the Zionist Federation of Australia Jeremy Leibler said the wave of organised attacks, “was intended to rip apart the Jewish community’s social cohesion and sense of safety, and the perpetrators largely have achieved that aim”.
“These attacks only happened because of the rise in intolerance and hatred in Australia that has been allowed to fester. Clearly, they were intended to leverage that hatred in order to spread fear. We must double down on our efforts to ensure the hatred of Jews is not normalised or rationalised.
“While today’s arrests provide some answers and relief, we await further updates about the horrific firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.”
The charges laid
Nicholas Alexander, 31, was arrested at Camperdown for allegedly preparing and staging cars for the attacks. He was refused bail until April.
Two men were arrested on the Central Coast – Zac Hall,18, from San Remo and Ryan Hughes, 20, from Canton Beach. Police allege the pair provided vehicles for an arson attack on a childcare centre in Maroubra on January 21 that did more than $3 million damage. Both have been bailed.
Henry Masivoivoi, 33, was arrested at Wentworthville over allegedly spray painting cars and homes in Kingsford on February 2. He has been refused bail.
Ford Powell, 25, was arrested at a Box Hill home for allegedly spray painting cars and homes at Queens Park on January 11 and charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group¸ drive conveyance taken without consent of owner. He is bail refused.
Mohammed Hijazi, 40, and a second man, 30, were arrested at a Penshurst home and taken to Kogarah Police Station. Police will allege in court that Hijazi graffitied a home and a school at Maroubra, a shopping centre at Eastgardens, and a home at Eastlakes. He has been refused bail. The younger man was charged with possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and possess prohibited drug. Police will allege in court that an electronic stun device and steroids were seized during the warrant at the Penshurst property. He was bailed.
A 26-year-old man, arrested at Wentworth Point, was charged with prohibited drugs, proceeds of crime, possess encrypted device to commit serious criminal activity and failing to grant police access to his phone. He was bailed by police.
Anthony Tannous, 23, and a second man, 37, were arrested after being transferred from a prison. Tannous allegedly spray painted homes and cars at Queens Park in the January 11 attacks and was refused bail. He was charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group¸ drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, as well supply prohibited drug – indictable and possess prohibited drug after testosterone and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his home. He is bail refused and will next face Waverly Court with Powell on March 25. The older man was charged for weapons possession and for being an accessory in the Maroubra child care centre arson attack.
Two more prisoners were arrested including former Nomads bikie boss Sayed Moosawi, 34, who allegedly directed arson attacks at Bondi Beach. The second man, 41, allegedly broke into a Bondi business on October 20, 2024 and set it alight. Both remain in custody.
Cassie Crowder, 26, was charged at Sutherland with being part of a criminal group. The drug methamphetamine and prescription medications were seized during the search of a vehicle at Sutherland and a warrant at a Campbelltown property.
A 27-year-old woman was also charged over drugs at an Eastlake home.
comments