Australian synagogue fire declared terrorism in a decision that increases investigation resources

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian law enforcement authorities on Monday declared an arson attack on a synagogue last week a terrorist act in a decision that increases resources available to the investigation.

Arson squad detectives have been investigating the blaze that extensively damaged the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Friday. But the investigation was taken over on Monday by the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team which involves Victoria state Police and Australian Federal Police as well as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation’s main domestic spy agency.

“The decision … to transition the Adass Israel Synagogue fire attack to the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team is a crucial turning point in this investigation,” Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters.

“I want to thank Victoria Police investigators for the significant information they have gathered so far, which has helped lead us to believe that this is likely to be a politically motivated attack. This is now a terrorism investigation,” Barrett added.

The declaration gave investigators more resources, information and legal powers to pursue the three suspects, police said.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said investigators had made “significant progress,” but declined to detail that progress.

Witnesses reported seeing two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant in the mosque before the fire. Police have not revealed what role the third suspect played. Police have also not revealed if they know the identity of any suspect.

The synagogue fire is the first declared terrorist incident in Australia since April when a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a bishop and priest in a Sydney Assyrian church while a service was being streamed online.

Some lawmakers had been calling for the arsonists to be charged with terrorism offenses so that they would potentially face longer prison sentences.

The blaze is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war.

In a separate initiative, Australian Federal Police announced on Monday the formation of Special Operation Avalite to target antisemiticism around the country.

The investigators were brought together in response to arson attacks on the synagogue, Jewish lawmaker Josh Burns’ Melbourne office in June and on a car in a Sydney street last month that was related to antisemitic vandalism.

“Special Operation Avalite will be an agile and experienced squad of counter-terrorism investigators who will focus on threats, violence, and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, said his government was striving to make the Jewish community “feel safe.”

“We’ve experienced in Australia, in the last year, the highest level of antisemitism that I’ve experienced in my lifetime. That’s a common reaction from members of the Australian Jewish community,” Dreyfus said.

The Victoria government on Friday offered 100,000 Australian dollars ($64,300) to help repair the synagogue and said there would be an increased police presence in the area.

The federal government on Sunday offered the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella body representing more than 200 Jewish organizations, AU$32.5 million ($20.8 million) to enhance security at community sites including synagogues and schools.

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This story has corrected the Victoria police official’s surname to Patton not Patterson.