Man charged over alleged antisemitic threats in far north Queensland

A 52-year-old Mossman man has been charged with two counts of threats with circumstance of aggravation (serious vilification or hate crime) following an investigation into reports of ideologically motivated threats of violence.

Queensland Police Service and Australian Federal Police detectives executed a search warrant at a Mossman address and arrested the man on the Captain Cook Highway at Macalister Range on August 27, police announced on September 2. An electronic communication device was also seized and will be subject to forensic examination.

It is alleged the offence relates to abusive, threatening and antisemitic content towards a religious organisation, which police have not identified. The man is due to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on September 21.

The investigation was undertaken by the recently established joint QPS-AFP Hate Crime Team, a partnership between the QPS Counter-Terrorism Investigation Group and the AFP’s National Security Investigations capability. The team brings together specialist investigators and intelligence practitioners from both agencies to improve information sharing, intelligence development and coordinated investigative responses where state and Commonwealth interests intersect.

In a statement on September 4, Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg said the community was grateful for the speed of the response.

“On behalf of the Queensland Jewish community, we are very grateful to the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Federal Police for their swift action in locating and charging an individual over alleged ideologically motivated threats of violence against Jews,” he said.

“This rapid response underscores the critical role of collaborative law enforcement in keeping Queenslanders safe. However, this arrest serves as yet another deeply unsettling reminder that there are individuals within our state who harbour profound hatred and seek to inflict harm on Jewish people.

“Incidents like this reinforce why our community cannot rely on vigilance alone. We need robust measures to ensure that those driven by hate are not emboldened, preventing threats from escalating into physical violence.

“Every Queenslander deserves to live, worship and gather free from fear. The QJBD will continue to work alongside government and law enforcement to ensure hateful rhetoric is met with zero tolerance, safeguarding both our community and the broader social cohesion of Queensland.”

QPS Counter-Terrorism Investigation Group detective superintendent Heath Hutchings said the operation highlighted the value of the partnership between the two agencies.

“The joint QPS-AFP Hate Crime Team reflects our shared commitment to protecting Queensland communities and ensuring matters that have the potential to impact community safety are effectively assessed and investigated,” he said.

“By combining the expertise, legislative capabilities and investigative resources of both agencies, we are better positioned to identify and respond to complex and emerging threats.

“This week’s activity demonstrates the strength of that partnership and our ongoing commitment to working together to keep Queensland communities safe.”

AFP detective superintendent Anthony Conway said the AFP was committed to working with the Queensland Police Service and other agencies to combat activities that impacted on community safety.

“The AFP’s National Security Investigations teams target groups and people causing high levels of harm to Australia’s social cohesion,” Conway said. “Harm to social cohesion at a local community level ultimately impacts on Australia’s national security – we will not allow divisive and hateful rhetoric to grow and spread more widely.”

Investigations remain ongoing. Police have encouraged the public to report hate crime incidents, including antisemitism, through Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.