NSW Police ruled out Dural Caravan as a real terror plot nearly three weeks ago

NSW Police ruled out the Dural caravan event as a real terrorism plot almost three weeks before it was publicly revealed to be a “criminal con-job”. Here’s the latest.

NSW Police ruled out the Dural caravan event as a real terrorism plot almost three weeks before it was publicly revealed to be a “criminal con-job”.

Under questioning at budget estimates on Wednesday, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said information suggesting the caravan was a terror risk was “discredited” on February 21.

“When did you determine it was not a valid terrorism threat?” Upper House MP Rod Roberts asked.

“The information being ingested into the joint management committee was discredited on February 21,” Mr Hudson said.

Mr Hudson would not elaborate on what “information” had been discredited. He said the details were confidential due to the ongoing investigation and arrests.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson made the omission in budget estimates on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

“That matter, as no one has been arrested for that is still confidential I’d prefer not to say, because the people responsible for that are still under investigation.

However, Mr Hudson also admitted police suspected as early as January 29 the incident was not a genuine terrorism plot – 10 days after the Dural caravan was discovered on January 19 – but “couldn’t disprove (it)”.

The Dural caravan was a “fabricated terrorist plot” masterminded by organised crime figures. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“That was still an option, but we couldn’t disprove at that stage the fact that it was a valid terrorism threat.”

The admission came shortly after NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley refused to reveal when she found out the incident was not a legitimate terrorist plot.

However, the committee was told NSW Premier Chris Minns and Ms Catley were both briefed on the matter on January 20, and then together on January 21.

Greens Upper House MP Sue Higginson accused Ms Catley of “withholding the truth” about the incident.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley refused to reveal the date she was informed the Dural caravan incident was a “criminal con-job”. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

“I am really struggling to understand why you are not willing to tell the truth to this committee,” Ms Higginson said.

“I believe that my responsibility as the Police Minister is to ensure that I do not share confidential briefings that I get from senior police,” Ms Catley replied.

Upper House MP Rod Roberts joined the grilling and asked Ms Catley to provide a timeline of the incident, given the Minns government raced to push its racial hatred laws through parliament by February 11.

“I’m not asking you to hide behind the facade of cabinet-in-confidence, I’m asking for a timeline of when this was discussed,” Mr Roberts said.

Upper House MP Rod Roberts suggested the Minns government knew the Dural caravan incident was not genuine terrorism, but used it to help push its racial hatred laws through parliament. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

“Clearly the government including yourself, the Attorney-General, the premier, all of cabinet, would have known before that legislation was tabled in our parliament and debated that this thing was a complete gee up.”

NSW Police revealed on Monday the Dural caravan was a “fabricated terrorist plot” masterminded by organised crime figures and was “never going to cause a mass casualty event”.

More than 250 investigators from NSW Police and the AFP carried out 11 search warrants on Monday morning, arresting 14 people who are set to be charged with up to 49 offences under Strike Force Pearl, which was established to investigate anti-Semitic incidents.

More to come.