Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Melbourne Man Arrested Over Ripponlea Synagogue Firebombing

Coordinated searches yielded electronic devices now under forensic analysis, underscoring suspicions of overseas involvement with more charges expected.

Image
Congregants recover items from the Adass Israel Synagogue on December 06, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
Image
Image

Overview

  • A 21-year-old man from Werribee was arrested Wednesday in connection with the December 6 firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea and has been charged with arson, conduct endangering life and motor vehicle theft.
  • The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team executed seven search warrants across Melbourne suburbs, seizing laptops, phones and other electronic devices for detailed forensic examination.
  • This arrest follows a July charge against a 20-year-old Williamstown man accused of stealing the blue Volkswagen Golf allegedly used to transport the arsonists to the synagogue.
  • Authorities are treating the firebombing as a politically motivated act of terrorism, signalling their commitment to pursuing those responsible and anticipating additional charges.
  • Investigators are probing suspected offshore criminal links through cooperation with federal and international agencies, raising the prospect of further arrests overseas.