Allan Govt, Police wait to label threatening anti-Israel video as terrorism

The Allan government and police are withholding the label of terrorism for a “horrific” video featuring a masked activist threatening Victorian workers, despite an ongoing terror probe.

A still from a video by a group which says it was behind the attack on Lovitt Technologies in Greensborough is yet to be labelled as terrorism. Picture: Supplied

The Allan government and police are yet to brand a shocking video which calls for people to firebomb cars and threatens Victorian workers as terrorism.

In the alarming video, which has been compared to footage released by al-Qaeda, a masked activist encourages attacks, threatens to release personal information about Victorian workers to “underground networks” and warns them the “cell” will “decide your fate”.

But the state government on Tuesday was yet to label the material or the associated firebombing of three cars outside Lovitt Technologies Australia in Greensborough as terror.

After claiming he hadn’t seen the footage on Monday – at least four days into police investigations – Police Minister Anthony Carbines said he had finally watched excerpts of the video on Tuesday, calling it “horrific and shocking”.

However, he said the state government was waiting for police to determine whether the threats and attacks were in fact terrorism.

the state government on Tuesday was yet to label the material or the associated firebombings as terror. Picture: Supplied

“I think the fact that the counter terrorism task force is reviewing these matters goes some way to explain the gravity of the situation,” he said.

“We will leave it for those experts to make that determination.”

Mr Carbines said if police determine the firebombings and video to be terrorist acts it “enlivens a range of other powers” including preventive detention and covert searches.

The Australian Federal Police on Tuesday refused to say whether they would officially label the attacks and video terrorism.

Under Australian law, a terrorist act must include an intention of advancing a “political, religious or ideological cause” carried out with the intention of intimidating the public, or coercing or influencing by intimidation, any government.

It is also defined as causing either “death, serious harm or endangerment to the life of a person, serious damage to property, a serious risk to the health or safety of the public, serious interference with, disruption to, or destruction of critical infrastructure such as a telecommunications or electricity network”.

In the alarming video a masked activist encourages attacks, threatens to release personal information about Victorian workers to ‘underground networks’. Picture: Supplied

Victoria’s opposition has labelled the alarming video “terrorism”, saying it fits the definition and the government “must act”.

Coalition police spokesman David Southwick on Tuesday repeatedly called the masked activist a “terrorist”.

“He is a terrorist,” he said.

“When you see a video like that targeting workers in a business in Melbourne, telling (people) how to create a firebomb to harm them and potentially kill them and the government won’t call that terrorism?”

“This government needs to wake up to themselves.

“Until you recognise a problem you can’t tackle it.”

SHOCKING THREAT

Australian businesses are being threatened by 'Free Palestine' thugs.

This is what happens when the Labor Government refuses to act for almost 2 years. pic.twitter.com/ysb5yakNDl

— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) July 13, 2025

In a statement on Monday, the AFP and Victoria Police said the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes personnel from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation were investigating.

“Investigators are aware of a video which has been circulating where a group has claimed responsibility for the incident,” they said.

“This video is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said while a formal designation was for police and security agencies to decide the footage resembled a terror video.

“Seeing a masked individual with flags in the background and a distorted voice making threats against civilian targets in our country is the sort of act immediately identifiable with ISIS and similar terrorist organisations,” he said.

“They pose a risk to public safety, order and national security and should be treated as such.”

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said he had finally watched excerpts of the video and labelled it ‘horrific and shocking’. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Under pressure to explain how the state government was stamping out extremist behaviour, Mr Carbines said the new “Anti-Hate” task force would meet for a second time in the “coming weeks”.

However, it’s understood that ministers involved are waiting for Premier Jacinta Allan, who chairs the task force, to return from leave.

The task force was launched after Israeli restaurant Miznon was attacked by pro-Palestine activists and the East Melbourne Synagogue was set alight on July 4.

The attacks occurred just hours before the Lovitt firebombings.

Following the first task force meeting last week, Ms Allan reiterated what was already in the works, including proposed laws that would ban face masks, glue and chains at protests.

Originally published as Allan Govt, Police wait to label threatening anti-Israel video as terrorism