‘Burnt to smithereens’: Inside Melbourne’s firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue

The full scale of destruction wrought inside Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue has been revealed, after the site was firebombed in an anti-Semitic attack.

The full scale of destruction wrought inside Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue has been revealed, after the site was firebombed in an anti-Semitic attack last week.

The synagogue, in the southeastern suburb of Ripponlea, was targeted by at least two masked perpetrators as worshippers began arriving for morning prayers early on Friday, resulting in what’s estimated to be millions of dollars worth of damage.

In a Sky News special that will air on Monday night, host Sharri Markson has been given exclusive access to the site of what has now officially been deemed a terorrist attack, taking viewers inside the devastation.

Markson told News Day host Kieran Gilbert the synagogue had been rendered unrecognisable, its interior “burnt to smithereens”.

“You can by no means see the extent of the damage until you go inside,” Markson said.

“It has been utterly destroyed. A room once filled with people studying, praying and children and families. It has been destroyed.”

In a Sky News special that will air on Monday night, Markson takes viewers inside the devastation. Picture: Sky News

It was “heartbreaking”, Markson continued, to see “hundreds” of prayer books, holy Torah scrolls and other items damaged or completely burnt to ashes.

Markson – who will speak to one of the two men inside at the time of the attack on Monday night’s episode of Sharri – compared the scenes at the synagogue to those following Hamas’ attack in Israel on October 7 last year.

“And now we’ve seen that here in Australia,” she said.

“It was truly devastating and definitely a shock to the system.”

Inside Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue, which was firebombed in an anti-Semitic attack on Friday morning. Picture: Yumi Rosenbaum

Sharri Markson described the scenes as ‘heartbreaking’. Picture: Yumi Rosenbaum

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Sunday it was his personal belief that the incident had the markers of a terrorist event.

“Terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community and the atrocities that occurred in the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community and therefore from my personal perspective, certainly fulfil that definition of terrorism,” Mr Albanese said, noting the “worrying” rise of anti-Semitism in Australia.

Following a meeting between high level officials from ASIO and Victoria Police on Monday, AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed their investigation has transitioned into a counter-terrorism one.

“Since the attack, the AFP, ASIO and Victoria Police have been in regular contact and sharing relevant information,” she told reporters.

“What this means is that now it has been allocated to the joint counter-terrorism team. We are already well prepared, well briefed and well progressed.”

‘It was truly devastating and definitely a shock to the system.’ Picture: Yumi Rosenbaum

‘Hundreds’ of prayer books, holy Torah scrolls and other items were damaged or completely burnt to ashes. Picture: Supplied

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters it was his personal belief that the incident had the markers of a terrorist event. Picture: Colin Murty

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said that three suspects are being pursued by authorities. There is “no intelligence”, he said, that points towards an attack at another synagogue.

At the same press conference, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said there will be ongoing police presence “in and around the communities, particularly around the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne”.

“This has been an awful, evil anti-Semitic … terrorist attack,” Ms Allan said.

“We must remember and continue to hold those (in) the community who are grieving, who are suffering, in our hearts, and give them all of our support.”