A synagogue firebombing in Melbourne has been officially declared a terrorist attack as police chiefs reveal they are closing on three suspects.
Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton said on Monday that detectives were on the hunt for three people they believe are behind the attack on Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne, in the city’s south-eastern suburb of Ripponlea.
The decision to officially brand the attack an act of terrorism follows the release of images showing the destruction inside the synagogue.
Three masked offenders are believed to have torched the building early last Friday morning as worshippers began arriving for morning prayers on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
The damage bill of the attack is estimated to be in the millions, with the synagogue almost completely destroyed.
Photographers were granted access to the building on Monday morning, with images showing the burnt-out devastation left inside.
Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the fire appeared to be ‘politically motivated’.
‘We will not tolerate crimes that undermine Australia’s security or our way of life,’ she said.
Total carnage: Inside Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne
Images from within Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne appeared on Monday
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan told reporters the declaration of the attack as one of terrorism allowed more powers and resources for the investigation.
‘What this means is … additional resources can now be deployed to this investigation, an investigation I know that we will look … [to have] resolved as quickly as possible,’ Ms Allan said.
‘We must let our police officers do the work, the good work that they have been doing to bring us to this point this morning.’
The investigation will now transition to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
The declaration opens up a raft of extra powers for investigators including the ability to stop, search and seize people without a warrant as well as detain and question those they believe have knowledge of, or links to, the attack.
Two of the synagogue’s three buildings were gutted in the fire that erupted in the early hours of Friday.
Two people who were inside at the time preparing for morning prayers escaped, with one suffering minor injuries.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria CEO Naomi Levin said she had been told five Torah scrolls, handwritten copies of the book of Moses used during prayers, won’t be salvaged.
Members of the synagogue recover items from the Adass Israel Synagogue on December 06
A man is seen reading a message left on the fence of the Adass Israel Synagogue after a firebombing
‘The intelligence that has been gained from that joint management committee meeting has recommended that their belief is that this is likely a terrorist incident that has occurred,’ Mr Patton said on Monday.
‘We are treating this as a terrorist attack.’
Mr Patton defended not making the terrorism declaration sooner.
‘Based on the assessment at the time of having a crime scene, albeit in a circumstance and on a synagogue, it was not believed to be sufficient to establish the threshold for a terrorist attack to be declared,’ he said.
‘We’ve investigated over the weekend, we’ve had significant progress.’
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan had also come under fire after refusing to refer to the attack as one of terrorism.
Addressing reporters just after midday, Ms Allan described it as an ‘evil anti-semitic (terrorist) attack’.
‘This has been an awful, evil, anti-semitic and now we know has been confirmed as an attack, a terrorist attack,’ she said.
Congregate member of the Adass Israel Synagogue, Sam, on Monday
Sky News host Sharri Markson was given access to the torched synagogue
Mr Patton said police had no evidence to suggest there would be further terrorist attacks, but would not rule anything out.
‘We have between 20 and 30 extra police officers deployed in those areas where there are high numbers of Jewish persons living and congregating, we have our public audit response teams there, we have high visibility police presence,’ he said.
Sky News host Sharri Markson was given access to the torched synagogue on Monday, beaming out disturbing images from within.
‘You can by no means see the extent of the damage until you go inside. It has been utterly destroyed. A room once filled with people studying, praying and children and families. It has been destroyed,’ she said to News Day host Kieran Gilbert.
Ms Markson went on to describe it as ‘heartbreaking’ to see hundreds of prayer books damaged or completely burnt to ashes and that the lingering smell was ‘so thick’.
The Sky News host likened it to the scenes in kibbutz in Israel where homes had been set alight and burnt to the ground by Hamas terrorists on October 7 last yuear.
‘And now we’ve seen that here in Australia. It was truly devastating and definitely a shock to the system,’ she said.
