Anti-Semitic explosive caravan ‘terror’ plot: ‘Periphery’ arrests, but investigation ‘compromised’

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says the investigation into a caravan filled with explosives, anti-Semitic hate notes and the addresses of Jewish synagogues has been “compromised” after the “terror” plot was made public on Wednesday afternoon.

A caravan filled with explosives that could have caused an explosion reaching 40m wide was discovered on January 19 at a property in Dural north of Sydney, however, the Jewish community or the wider public were not warned.

The caravan was allegedly filled with mining gel explosives, lists of addresses of Jewish synagogues and a note saying “f..k the Jews”.

The discovery, which is understood to have been made by chance by a Dural resident, has thwarted a potential anti-Semitic “terror” plot that could have caused a “mass casualty event”.

“I want to stress this point. This has been an investigation, a covert investigation, an investigation that requires us to go about our business without compromising an investigation. The fact this information is now in the public domain has compromised our investigation and has been detrimental to some of the strategies we may have used,” Commissioner Webb said on Thursday.

Commissioner Webb said that NSW Police, along with partners including ASIO and others agencies were doing “everything” within their powers, but had not declared the incident a terror incident. However, police say they are investigating if the incident was “preparation” for a terror event.

NSW Police can charge a person with terror offences without an incident behind declared as “terror”, however, the declaration gives agencies greater powers.

Police say a “detonator” device was not located within the caravan.

The owner of the caravan was already in police custody by the time a local alerted police to the contents of the van over an unrelated matter, Commissioner Webb said.

Police were wary to reveal further detail on Thursday, with Commissioner Webb saying: “I don’t want to compromise that investigation any further.”

“The detectives are doing their job and they need to get on with doing their job without people wondering what is happening. We will brief the public when we have something material to say.”

Commissioner Webb did add that police believe the caravan discovery had links to other anti-Semitic attacks, however she did not provide further details.

The caravan, now the centre of a major counter-terrorism investigation involving over 100 police, was reportedly on the property since December, with police not being alerted until January 19 when the property owner opened the padlocked van.

Chris Minns defends covert investigation

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Commissioner Webb have been forced to defend their decision to conduct investigations covertly as alarm over safety for Jewish Australians rise and a string of anti-Semitic attacks continue on Australian soil.

Mr Minns said on Wednesday that the caravan could have caused a “mass casualty event”.

“There’s only one way of calling it out and that is terrorism,” he said.

Speaking again on Thursday morning, Mr Minns was quick to point out that the time between the discovery of the caravan and its contents, and the information released to the public was for police operational reasons.

“Police made operational decisions to keep the public safe,” Mr Minns said when asked by Ben Fordham on 2GB why it took so long to tell the public.

“The counter-terrorism teams in NSW are the best in the land and they made the call.

“It was necessary to keep it quiet, but regrettably there was a media leak and we had to release the information ourselves.”

The Premier was then quizzed on the bizarre circumstances around the caravan being moved onto a property and the discovery of the explosives and alleged anti-Semitic messaging.

“There have already been reports about arrests and Operation Pearl and Operation Shelter are doing great work in NSW. No stone will be left unturned in this investigation,” Mr Minns said.

Arrests had been made “around the periphery”, with some connected to other alleged anti-Semitic attacks, but those responsible remain at large, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said.

“We have no information that there are further explosives in our community in relation to conducting anti-Semitic attacks anywhere - we believe that we have contained appropriately this current threat,” he said.

Those “periphery” arrests allegedly include Tammie Farrugia, who has been charged over an alleged anti-Semitic attack in Woollahra back in December and her boyfriend Scott Marshall, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Neither have been charged over the explosive caravan discovery, with police saying: “Ongoing investigations need to be conducted”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement “unequivocally” condemning the attack on Wednesday.

“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.”

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon said he was deeply alarmed by the news, saying he had been assured that every measure was being taken to protect the community.

Local Jewish groups have expressed alarm over the foiled act, with Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim saying his group had been assured there was no ongoing threat to the Jewish or wider community.

The Zionist Federation of Australia said the foiled attack was a manifestation of intolerance towards Jews and was the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia to date.

Cars have been set alight, a synagogue burnt down and anti-Semitic slurs painted on buildings and cars in a spate of attacks that have escalated in frequency and severity since December, with Mr Hudson saying this discovery was an “escalation”.

- With AAP.