PM finally labels synagogue attack an act of terrorism
After two days of calls for the Prime Minister to label the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue an act of terrorism he has finally done so – but the Victorian Premier continues to shy away branding it as such.
Victoria
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has finally labelled the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue an act of terrorism, after two days of criticism and mounting pressure over his reluctance to describe the attack as such.
“My personal opinion is yes (it is terrorism), but there is a technical process,” the Prime Minister said from Perth, where he was on the third-day of a Western Australian blitz.
He said authorities would meet Monday to decide whether to officially designate the Friday firebombing as an act of terrorism.
“Tomorrow, the Victorian police and the Australian Federal Police will be having a meeting,” he said.
“There is a technical process that is agreed in the protocols for designating an event as a terrorist act. That meeting is taking place tomorrow.
“But if you want my personal view quite clearly, terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community and the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community.
“And therefore, from my personal perspective, (the act) certainly fulfil(s) that definition of terrorism.”
His comments come the day after former Liberal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg demanded the Prime Minister call the attack an act of terror.
Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett will fly to Melbourne on Sunday night ahead of high-level meetings with Victorian counterparts on Monday morning.
The Herald Sun understands Monday’s meeting between the AFP and Victoria Police will determine whether the firebomb attack gets referred to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
It’s understood the Australian Federal Police are having constant conversations with Victoria Police but aren’t yet formally involved in the investigation.
It comes as Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan today labelled the attack an act that was “designed to strike terror into the hearts of the Jewish community” but stopped short of branding it terrorism.
“It is absolutely clear that this anti-Semitic evil act was designed to strike terror into the hearts of the Jewish community,” she said.
But Ms Allan said it was “really important” not to compromise the ongoing investigation by rushing to label it an act of terrorism.
“I will take my advice (on that matter) from the Chief Commissioner,” she said.
The Premier confirmed counter terrorism units had been called in to investigate the attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue, with Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police due to meet on Monday to review the evidence.
“Counter terrorism units of both agencies are at the heart of this investigation,” she said.
“I think we’re all just so incredibly distressed – so incredibly distressed – to see how conflict in the Middle East has been used by some to drive conflict here in Melbourne and Victoria.”
It comes as more than 1000 members of the Jewish community gathered on Sunday to rally against the rise in anti-Semitic attacks.
Opposition Leader John Pesutto, Caulfield Liberal MP David Southwick and Federal Labor MP Josh Burns were among the crowd gathered near the Jewish Soldiers of Victoria War Memorial in Ripponlea.
The park was awash with Israeli flags and signs reading “Love not hate makes Australia great!” and “NO tolerance for hate”.
Ms Allan, who was heckled when she visited the Adass Israel Synagogue on Friday, was not expected to attend the rally.
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