Man arrested over Adass Israel synagogue firebombing 

A 21-year-old Werribee man has been arrested over the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in what police are treating as a politically motivated attack.

The man will be interviewed in relation to offences of arson, conduct endangering life and theft of a motor vehicle, Victoria Police said.

Authorities allege the man is one of three individuals who broke into the synagogue in Melbourne’s south-east and set the fire in the early hours of December 6.

The blaze ripped through the building, forcing several people to flee to safety through a back door and destroying the synagogue.

The arrest comes after a 20-year-old Williamstown man was charged earlier this month for allegedly stealing a car which was then used to drive to the synagogue on December 6.

The investigation has been carried out by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO.

The JCTT is treating the arson as politically motivated and say further arrests and charges are expected soon.

Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the “complex” investigation has extended overseas.

“Our investigation is not limited to Australia. It involves exploring criminals offshore, and we suspect these criminals worked with criminal associates in Victoria to carry out the arson attack. The motivation is still being assessed, and we will make further comments at an appropriate time about that.”

On Wednesday, authorities executed seven search warrants at residential properties in Melbourne’s west and north, seizing various items including electronic devices for forensic examination.

The 21-year-old was arrested during these operations.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion KC said the arrest brought “some long-awaited comfort and reassurance to our community.”

“It is ominous that police are continuing to treat the despicable firebombing of the Adass synagogue as politically motivated. Such attacks are a danger to all Australians,” Aghion said.

“We thank the police for their painstaking efforts to date and hope that further arrests will be made in the near future so that all the offenders including the masterminds are swiftly brought to justice. Only then will a deterrent be established against this sort of chilling behaviour.”

Chayim Klein, a member of the Adass community, said the community would “once again be taken back to that difficult day and be shaken up,” but expressed gratitude for the police work.

“We’re extremely grateful for the amazing effort and amazing work that all the various parties have put in to finally start the arrest process”, Klein said.

He praised the cooperation between the Adass community and police, describing “a very good relationship” with police being “extremely understanding and extremely forthcoming.”

Klein expressed confidence in a complete resolution: “Definitely, they will put 110% into it as they have been doing until now. We just thank God that they’ve made an arrest, and we are looking forward to making many more and getting to the bottom of it.”

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam, when asked by The AJN if she had a message for the Jewish community, said, “I think we’ve been very clear there is no place in Victoria or Australia for antisemitism. We are here for our community, for all of our community, but particularly the Jewish community, who rightfully given this incident and many other incidents are quite vulnerable, are fearful and feel scared and are also fed up with behaviour that’s being perpetrated against them.”

“We work with them closely. We will continue to engage with them, and we are here to support them and to ensure that they are not actually the subject of hate crimes. We will prevent that where we can, and we certainly encourage anyone in the community that is subjected to that, to make contact with police.”

Steendam thanked the Jewish community across Australia and the Adass Israel Synagogue congregation for their “stoicism, patience and support.”

Victoria Police said there were no links between the Adass Israel Synagogue attack in December and the arson at the East Melbourne synagogue earlier this month.