According to police, an organized crime group fabricated a bombing plan targeting a Jewish site to divert law enforcement resources.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced on Monday that the discovery of explosives in a parked caravan in Sydney was part of a “criminal scheme.” The country had previously expressed suspicions that certain anti-Semitic crimes were linked to criminal activities since the commencement of the Gaza war.
The authorities discovered the caravan in January, containing sufficient explosives to produce a 40-meter blast wave. Shellcases were found clearly visible, without any detonator, indicating no intention to actually harm Jewish targets, according to the police.
“The caravan was never meant to cause a mass casualty event but was fabricated by criminals who sought to generate fear for their personal gain,” stated AFP’s Deputy Commissioner for national security, Krissy Barrett, during a press conference.
“Experienced investigators quickly believed that the caravan was part of a fabricated terrorism plot – essentially a criminal scheme,” she added.
‘Chilling Effect’
In a statement on Monday, the AFP announced that Operation Kissinger, their ongoing investigation, has identified several individuals involved in the fake terrorism plot and is collaborating with local and international law enforcement agencies to bring them to justice.
The decision to disclose this information to the public was made to provide comfort to Sydney’s Jewish community, as stated by New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson.
“[The plot] aimed to cause chaos, threaten, create anxiety, and divert police resources away from their duties, allowing them to engage in other criminal activities,” he explained during a press conference.
Initially, the country’s counterterrorism unit considered sharing information with the public due to tips on other “terror plots,” but most of these were deemed to be fabricated.
“We now believe that all these tips were created and the caravan plot was an elaborate scheme by organized criminals operating domestically and internationally,” the AFP statement asserted.
Australia has witnessed a rise in anti-Semitic attacks recently, targeting homes, schools, synagogues, and vehicles with vandalism and arson, which has drawn criticism from traditional ally Israel.
Barrett stated that this fake caravan plot had a “chilling effect” on the Jewish community
“What organized crime has done to the Jewish community is despicable and will not go unpunished. Unwarranted suspicion has also been directed at other communities, which is equally despicable,” she said.
