In Wellington, New Zealand, an explosives-filled trailer that had been described by Australian politicians as an antisemitic terrorism plot and potential mass casualty event has been revealed as a hoax orchestrated by criminals for personal gain, according to police on Monday. The January discovery of the trailer, which contained explosives commonly used in the mining industry and a list of Jewish targets, had been perceived as a serious escalation in extremist violence by state and national leaders. Police spokesperson David Hudson stated that none of the 12 individuals initially arrested in connection with the series of antisemitic crimes in Sydney and Melbourne were motivated by antisemitic beliefs but were instead criminals for hire. Despite this, Hudson acknowledged an increase in antisemitism in Australia since October 2023, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war. Further, police claimed that the 14 individuals arrested in connection with this incident were also not driven by hate but aimed to manipulate the situation for personal benefit. These individuals were allegedly part of a criminal underworld that has been engaging in such activities for financial incentives. Police confirmed there was no detonation device present in the trailer and it was never intended to cause harm but rather to incite fear and drain police resources.

Source: https://time.com/7266303/australia-dural-caravan-terror-hoax/