Hussein Kassem charged over fire at Crown had ‘personal vendetta’ against the casino

A man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at Crown casino had a personal vendetta over “what Australia did to him”.

A Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of a Southbank Promenade restaurant. Picture: Ian Currie

A man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a restaurant in the Crown precinct had a “personal vendetta” against the casino, a court has heard.

Hussein Kassem, 39, was arrested early on Wednesday morning after he allegedly used his T-shirt and a Jack Daniel’s bottle to set fire to Bistro Guillaume restaurant near Crown casino shortly after 1am.

During a bail application at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon, Senior Constable Alexander O’Keeffe said Mr Kassem was banned from Crown on September 21 after allegedly making sexual remarks to a waiter.

“During the recorded interview, the accused made admissions to wanting to burn down Crown Towers because he had a personal vendetta against them,” Constable O’Keeffe said.

The thoroughfare outside the restaurant was closed off on Wednesday. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Kassem allegedly told investigators he lit the fire because of “what Australia did to (him)”.

In a summary read to the court, police alleged Mr Kassem lit a fire in the toilet of the lobby of Crown Towers shortly before 12.30am on Wednesday, triggering a sprinkler system which put out the blaze but caused extensive flooding.

Mr Kassem then allegedly returned to his Southbank home and picked up a Jack Daniel’s bottle before making his way back to Yarra Promenade.

Police allege he then soaked his T-shirt in the bottle before igniting and throwing it at Bistro Guillaume, sparking a fire in the restaurant’s outdoor patio area.

Firefighters quickly arrived and put out the blaze.

Police estimated damage to the restaurant to exceed $100,000.

The Molotov cocktail was allegedly fashioned out of a T-shirt and Jack Daniel’s bottle. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Kassem was arrested in Flinders Street a short time later.

During the hearing, Mr Kassem yelled from the dock: “You’re not fit to be the judge”.

Magistrate Angela Bolger rejected his bail application, finding he posed an “unacceptable risk” of reoffending and safety to the public.

Mr Kassem was ordered to undergo a mental health assessment and was remanded in custody to reappear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 1.

A Crown spokeswoman said the venue was assisting police with their investigation.

“Crown’s customers’ and employees’ safety and wellbeing are always our number one priority, and our security team moved swiftly to contain the incident and engage the services of Victoria Police and Melbourne Fire Brigade,” she said.

“This matter is now in the hands of Victoria Police, and we are assisting them with their investigations.”