‘Shocking failure’: Tony Abbott weighs in on Sydney terror plot

Ex-PM Tony Abbott and security experts have blasted an “alarming breakdown” in communication between the state and federal government as Sydney narrowly dodged a ‘mass casualty event’ over a foiled anti-Semitic terror plot.

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott and security experts have blasted an “alarming breakdown” in communication between state and federal authorities in the aftermath of a foiled terrorist attack as a “shocking failure of leadership extending right to the top”.

Mr Abbott fired off the salvo after it was revealed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was kept in the dark for nine days after NSW Police discovered a caravan laden with explosives with the addresses of prominent Jewish sites.

“It’s hard to credit that NSW police would uncover enough explosives to kill hundreds of people in a caravan belonging to anti-Semitic activists with indications that it was intended to kill Jews and that no one would bother to tell the PM,” he said.

‘Either the authorities aren’t taking public safety seriously or they know the PM doesn’t take it sufficiently seriously so decided that he should be left out of the loop.

“Either way it’s a shocking failure of leadership extending right to the top.”

Former Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott. Picture: Martin Ollman

His comments were backed by security experts who say they are in disbelief that the Prime Minister was not informed, warning the anti-Semitism crisis is a “national crime problem and it needs a national crime solution”.

Coalition and Labor figures have publicly and privately questioned the ability for the state and federal government to work together when the NSW Premier did not raise the discovery of a caravan full of explosives with the Prime Minister.

NSW Police discovered the van after being alerted by a local on January 19 with Premier Minns being briefed on January 20.

The Australian Federal Police joined the investigation on January 21 but the Prime Minister was not informed until The Daily Telegraph broke the story on January 29.

This is despite both Mr Minns and Mr Albanese doing a joint press conference and a national cabinet meeting on January 21 when a Maroubra childcare centre was vandalised with anti-Semitism.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns visit the childcare centre in Maroubra that was firebombed last night in what was an anti-Semitic attack. Picture: NewsWire/ Julian Andrews

Dr David Craig, a former AFP officer of more than two decades who investigated the Bali bombings, said anti-Semitism is a national crime problem and it needs a national crime solution.

“Any hint of terrorism it needs to go to the joint counter terrorism teams and the briefings can be done together,” he said.

“For too long we have been dealing with pockets of these attacks sporadically … we need federal co-ordination.”

Strategic Analysis Australia Director Peter Jennings said Mr Albanese should have been told about the discovery “immediately,” as should Jewish community groups who may have been under threat.

“When you see a weapon that could have created, for the first time in Australian history, a mass casualty terrorist attack, that is something which should go straight to the Prime Minister’s desk immediately,” he said.

“This is something that should have been, within the hour, on the desk of the Prime Minister.”

He said that Jewish community leaders should have been told about the potential threat when it was discovered, saying “obsession” with the “investigative procedure” was “getting in the way” of practical outcomes.

“It is a very long way from good enough,” he said.

NSW Police met with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies on Friday to discuss concerns about security arrangements at schools and preschools.

The same day, officers were investigating a fresh set of graffiti attacks across Sydney overnight, with “Die Israel die… f**king monsters,” scrawled on a bike locker inside a Meadowbank commuter car park, while “you wanna buy a caravan”, referencing the explosive-loaded caravan discovered at Dural, was scribbled onto a Vaucluse electrical box.

Labor sources told The Daily Telegraph NSW had “no right to not inform the Commonwealth” about the discovery of the caravan which was found with a note pointing to prominent Jewish sites.

Derriwong Road in Dural near where a caravan was found that apparently contained explosives and antisemitic material. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“An issue like this, which is not solely a state issue, the state had no right not to inform the commonwealth,” one source said.

“Both (governments) have acknowledged this is a national issue.”

Another federal figure said “If Minns knew, Albanese should have known”.

“This is quite serious, if Albanese is dismissing this, that is even more concerning … he should be livid.”

Mr Albanese said he does not comment on operational matters of an ongoing investigation and his priority was keeping Australians safe.

The Telegraph understands that under protocol, the Australian Federal Police are responsible for informing the Prime Minister via the Attorney-General, but there is precedent that a premier would inform the prime minister of an incident that could signal terrorism was involved.

A source close to the former Morrison government said there would be “no way that Gladys (Berejiklian) would not pick up the phone to Scott”.

“If Gladys found a truck laden with explosives and the type of information that was in that caravan, she would have picked up the phone to the PM,” they said.

“It’s a national issue … it’s classified as a national security incident, if there is any sense of anti-Semitism.

“They appeared at a press conference, would you be standing next to the PM knowing the off chance the PM might be asked a question, knowing a journalist might have found out and could ask him about it.”

Coalition deputy leader Sussan Ley put the onus on Mr Albanese to ensure he was being informed of developments on anti-Semitism.

“It is unbelievable that after almost daily antisemitic attacks, including the targeting of Jewish communities and the firebombing of a synagogue, that Anthony Albanese appears to have failed to set the expectation that he be fully informed of significant developments such as a potential mass casualty terror plot,” she said.

The opposition’s home affairs spokesman James Paterson said keeping the Prime Minister in the dark was extraordinary.

“This is an alarming breakdown of our national security architecture. If the PM and Ministers are not told about a planned terrorist attack, how can they make the necessary policy decisions to protect the community from other threats?,” Mr Paterson said.

Originally published as ‘Shocking failure’: Tony Abbott weighs in on Sydney terror plot