Police release footage of three offenders setting Adass Israel Synagogue on fire
Dramatic new footage has revealed the moment three masked men smashed their way into the Adass Israel Synagogue before torching it in last year’s terrorist attack. It comes as police probe a fresh lead.
Victoria
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Arsonists filmed the firebombing attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue on a mobile phone in new CCTV footage of the attack at the centre of a terror probe.
Counter-terrorism police on Thursday released the dramatic, new CCTV footage of the December attack with the hopes the public may know the offenders.
The CCTV of the synagogue fire shows the Volkswagen scoping the area at Ripponlea before three hooded offenders exit the vehicle about 4.20am.
They were filmed using a large axe to smash open the front entry before one of the offenders poured the contents of a jerry can into the synagogue.
The axe was then used to smash the glass panels of the building before two more jerry cans were hauled from the car’s boot.
The three offenders then entered the building with a fourth jerry can before a match or lighter was tossed inside.
The building erupted in flames instantly.
At least one of the offenders was seen filing the attack on a mobile phone. Detectives would not say whether they had found or seen that vision.
The blue Volkswagen Golf, which was also used to firebomb the Lux nightclub, was last seen driving toward the western suburbs.
Authorities believe the four jerry cans had been purchased from a Bunnings Warehouse before they were filled with about 100L of petrol.
AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said CCTV from more than 1400 locations had been analysed.
“We have a number of persons of interest,” he said.
“We believe there are multiple offenders directly and indirectly linked to the synagogue arson, and our terrorism investigation into their actions continues.
“Based on the information we have, we suspect some of the individuals involved are extremely violent.”
Anyone with information on the offenders pictured is urged to contact police.
Originally published as Police release footage of three offenders setting Adass Israel Synagogue on fire
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