A joint terrorist investigation team has made a key link in the case of last year’s Melbourne synagogue attack and warned the offenders that it is only a “matter of time” before police come knocking.
The Australian Federal Police, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and Victoria Police have combed through hundreds of hours of CCTV in the case of a firebombing at Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea on December 6.
Today, they revealed that a blue VW Golf 2020 sedan involved in the incident was also used in an arson attack at Lux nightclub in South Yarra in November and an arson and shooting in Bundoora, also on December 6.
“There is no doubt that this blue VW Golf sedan is key,” Victoria Police Counter Terrorism Command Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said.
The blue Golf is a stolen car that had cloned number plates and was seized by police last year.
CCTV of the car and several suspects have been released today.
It showed the blue sedan driving past the Adass Israel Synagogue multiple times before parking outside the main entrance on December 6.
Three people dressed in hoodies and masks were then seen getting out of the car and using an axe to damage the entrance.
At least two people were then seen pouring liquid from red jerry cans at the entrance before entering the synagogue.
Footage captured the group making several trips to the car to get more jerry cans and pouring the liquid inside the building before setting fire to it.
The people were then seen fleeing the scene in the car and driving towards the western suburbs.
The attack is being treated as politically motivated and remains a joint terror investigation.
“I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain fully committed to finding those responsible for this act and holding them to account,” Walsh said.
The car’s involvement in the Lux nightclub arson and the Bundoora shooting is being solely investigated by Victoria Police and is not being treated as politically motivated.
Investigators are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.
“We need assistance from the public as we attempt to identify those who have been using this vehicle and what they have been involved in, and we know there are people out there who can supply this information. Any small detail could be crucial,” Walsh said.
Investigators believe there are multiple people directly and indirectly involved in the synagogue attack, with some of them “extremely violent”.
“I remind those involved that the penalty for terrorism is life imprisonment,” Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said.
“It is just a matter of time before police knock on your door. It is in your interest to come forward now.”
