Pressure mounts on government to bring alleged ‘terror van’ mastermind Sayet Erhan Akca home to Sydney

Pressure is piling on the government and AFP to bring home the Sydney businessman police believe was behind the fake “terror caravan” plot.

Pressure is piling on the Albanese government and Australian Federal Police to bring the Sydney businessman who police allege was behind the fake “terror caravan” plot back to the country.

Sayet Akca, 35, a former gym and kebab shop-owner from the Sutherland Shire, is the man police allege orchestrated the explosive-laden caravan found at Dural in January, and 14 other anti-Semitic crimes across Sydney since December.

Akca, who was on bail for an alleged 600kg drug importation, fled the country in mid-2023. His bail conditions allowed him to travel to Queensland, where it’s believed he boarded the vessel which headed to Asia.

The now-wanted man left behind a toddler son and wife, who said his departure signalled the end of their relationship.

Sayet Akca, 35, a former gym and kebab shop-owner from the Sutherland Shire, is the man police believe orchestrated the explosive-laden caravan found at Dural

“I am separated from (Akca) and no longer associated … I want to emphasise that I have no involvement in the allegations,” his wife told The Telegraph.

The Telegraph does not suggest any wrongdoing by her or any family members of Akca.

Akca is believed to have left Australia illegally in 2023, while on bail over an alleged drug importation.

Akca’s social media account revealed he often posted anti-Semitic slurs in the years before he fled Australia.

“Hitler was only washing earth, they made him out to be evil,” he posted in 2019.

In another post, Akca asked his followers: “Is it true that Muslims believe they get 40 virgins for act of terror/mass suicide?”

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the federal government needed to act urgently to bring Akca home and ensure the Jewish community did not have to continue “living in fear”.

“The Albanese government must pull out all stops to get Sayet Akca home to face justice,” Mr Paterson said.

“The drugs charges he’s facing are already serious enough — the allegations he masterminded an anti-Semitic crime spree are even worse.

“Our intelligence and law enforcement capabilities must be deployed to find wherever he is in the world so he can be extradited immediately.”

Akca was granted bail by the NSW Local Court in March 2022, with his conditions varied more than a year later in May 2023, requiring him to hand in his passport but allowing him to travel interstate to Queensland.

Greens Senator David Shoebridge said bringing Akca back was a matter of urgency. Picture: Martin Ollman

NSW Greens Senator David Shoebridge said the AFP needed to answer questions about how Akca got out of the country in the first place, and show more “urgency” to bring him back.

“The AFP needs to explain what they did or didn’t do in 2023, when they let him slip across the border,” Mr Shoebridge said.

“Whatever urgency was missing in 2023, it needs to be found now and every reasonable effort made to get him before an Australian court.

“There are so many questions still unanswered about what happened, when it happened and especially when key agencies and politicians knew this was a scam.

“This is a bloke who could shed some light on the whole caravan mess and that’s reason enough to get him back on shore.”

One of the anti-Semitic firebombing attacks that made headlines was on the former home of Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, who said the “summer of terror” had been “devastating” for his community.

“There are many deeply troubling aspects to the summer of terror that was inflicted on the Jewish community,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“The involvement of an apparently vast network of violent criminals, that deliberately targeted the Jewish community in a devastating way on top of over 2,00 reported incidents, requires answers and requires justice.”

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]