The AFP has revealed a caravan found in Sydney's southwest filled with explosives was not a genuine antisemitic terrorist plot and instead a "fake terrorism plot" with ties to organised crime.

Dural

Dawn raids across Sydney have led to the arrest of 14 individuals, accused by police of orchestrating a series of false terror incidents against the city’s Jewish community. Authorities allege these individuals were involved in fabricating a terrorist plot, including planting a caravan loaded with explosives at Durrell and leaving a note threatening the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum. Despite initial fears, it has been revealed that these actions were not motivated by anti-Semitism.

The caravan incident was reportedly part of a broader criminal scheme executed, police allege, by an incarcerated criminal mastermind intending to barter information for a lessened jail sentence. It was a ploy to cause fear and chaos rather than a genuine terror threat, with the group allegedly also responsible for 14 other acts of graffiti and arson across the city, including an attack on the former residence of Jewish community leader Alex Rivgen.

The operation revealed that the goal was to create disruption, evoke fear, and mislead law enforcement, rather than executing a mass casualty attack. Due to investigative constraints, police were unable to immediately confirm the absence of a genuine threat, resulting in heightened anxiety within the Jewish community.

The recent police operation included the execution of 11 search warrants with over 250 officers involved, resulting in the arrest of the group members who now face 49 charges. Authorities indicate further arrests are anticipated, and international connections are being pursued. The orchestrators are believed to have kept a strategic distance by employing local criminals to partake in their criminal activities while attempting to negotiate changes to their incarceration status.



Caravan explosives plot a 'fabricated terrorist plot'

Dawn raids across the city that targets at least 14 individuals, police will allege helped orchestrate a wave of what seemed to be anti-Semitic hate across Sydney, including the discovery of a caravan at Durrell in January laden with explosives and a note threatening the Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum. Today a remarkable admission, none of the attacks were motivated by hate. The caravan was part of a fabricated terrorist plot, essentially a criminal con job. Today I can reveal that the caravan was never going to cause a mass casualty event but instead was concocted by criminals who wanted to cause fear for personal benefit. It was orchestrated at the top they allege by an incarcerated master criminal who'd planned to offer up the location of the caravan to police in exchange for a later jail term. It's claimed the group was also behind 14 other graffiti and arson attacks across Sydney, including a fiery assault on the former home of Jewish community leader Alex Rivgen. It was about causing chaos within the community, causing threat, causing angst, diverting police resources away from their day jobs. So a bargaining chip rather than an actual plan for a bombing. This theory was one police had very early in the investigation but because they were unable to publicly rule out a genuine terror plot, the Jewish community was left on edge for weeks. Today's operation involved more than 250 police carrying out 11 search warrants where 14 people were arrested. They're now facing 49 charges. More people are wanted here and overseas. We believe the person pulling the strings wanted changes to their criminal status but maintained a distance from their scheme and hired alleged local criminals to carry out parts of their plan.

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Charlotte

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Crans-Montana

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Caracas

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Jerusalem

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Moscow

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New York

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Taipei City

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Chicago

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Helsinki

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Al Mukalla

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Kuala Lumpur

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Krong Poi Pet

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