Police investigating caravan of explosives with note listing Jewish targets
'On face value, this undoubtedly represents a further escalation in the campaign of domestic terrorism which has been targeted at the Jewish community'
A caravan containing explosives and a note listing Jewish targets, including a synagogue, has been discovered on a property north of Sydney.
Tthe Daily Telegraph reported late on Wednesday that a resident found the caravan, which had been abandoned in the northwestern Sydney suburb of Dural on January 19, and alerted NSW Police.
Sources told the Daily Telegraph that alongside the synagogue’s address, a message that read “f**k the Jews” was also found in the caravan.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said in a statement on Wednesday, “The NSW Police Force is working with the Australian Federal Police, NSW Crime Commission, ASIO, Victoria Police and the Queensland Police Service.
“This is an ongoing investigation and is being taken seriously with all lines of inquiry being pursued. There is no ongoing threat to the community.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns called the discovery a “potential mass casualty event” when he fronted a press conference alongside Deputy Commissioner Hudson late on Wednesday afternoon.
“There’s only one way of calling it out, and that is terrorism,” he said.
Minns said police “have been conducting investigations into the site, into the van, into the owners of the van and any associates of the owners of that van” since its discovery.
“I want to make it very clear, Police take this threat incredibly seriously. For many, many weeks now, the full resources of the state of NSW and NSW Police have been deployed to confront this very serious threat to our community,” Minns said.
“Anyone attempting terrorism, violence, hatred in our community will be met with the full force of the law … there will be absolutely no tolerance under any circumstances for these acts of criminal violence in our community, and anyone attempting this level of violence in NSW will be met by every resource that we have to throw at it.”
Deputy Commissioner Hudson said Police “will not rest until these matters are resolved”.
“We have mobilised the joint counter-terrorism team in relation to conducting the investigation … there are over 100 officers of those agencies deployed and currently engaged in investigations in this particular matter,” he said.
“Investigations into over the last 10 days have progressed … We have made arrests on the periphery of this job, but we are still looking for assistance in relation to anyone who saw that caravan parked by the side of the road from the December 7 to the January 19 of this year.
“We understand the concerns of the Jewish community, and we take all these threats exceptionally seriously.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Wednesday evening that the owner of the caravan is in police custody, but had not been charged in relation to the finding. The Herald said the individual had been previously arrested in connection with other offences.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a statement early on Wednesday evening.
“We condemn unequivocally this act. The full might of the AFP, ASIO and NSW Police are being utilised in this major investigation by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team,” he said.
“The NSW Police have people in custody and continue with other agencies, including those involved in AFP Special Operation Avalite, to investigate threats, violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community, and take action and hold people to account for crimes. Hate and extremism have no place in Australian society.”
Member for Berowra Julian Leeser, who is Jewish, said he was “deeply disturbed at today’s revelations about a potential terror plot targeting the Jewish community with a potential mass casualty event”.
“I pay tribute to the police and security services for all their efforts to this point and appreciate the extensive investigation currently underway,” he said.
“This is another sad reminder of the hatreds Jewish Australians have endured over recent times. It keeps escalating. But equally it stands as a stark contrast to the goodness, decency and stoicism of Jewish Australians. To all Australians I say, if you have a Jewish friend or colleague please reach out to them and let them know you support them and stand with them.”
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said, “These are obviously extremely concerning reports. On face value, this undoubtedly represents a further escalation in the campaign of domestic terrorism which has been targeted at the Jewish community.
“We are engaging closely with law enforcement and the Government in relation to this matter.”
CSG NSW said it was working closely with police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the Jewish community remains safe.
“While we work to obtain further information, we ask the community to remain calm, not to circulate any information that has not been verified, and not to engage in any conjecture,” CSG said. “We will provide further updates when and as necessary.”
Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto labelled it “undoubtedly the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia in living memory”.
“The plot, if executed, could have resulted in the worst terrorist attack in Australia’s history,” he said. “The Jewish community has been warning for 16 months that unchecked incitement, violent rhetoric, and weak leadership has created the perfect environment for extremism and terrorism to flourish.
“This foiled attack is yet another manifestation of the senseless hatred and violence that continues to target the Jewish community.”
More to come.
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