Bikie boss allegedly directed Bondi arson attacks as part of conspiracy of violence

A former Nomads bikie president is one of 14 accused gangland foot soldiers who allegedly unleashed a wave of antisemitic attacks across Sydney, including arson, graffiti and a fabricated caravan bomb, on the orders of shadowy crime bosses exploiting the city’s fear and divisions.

More than a dozen attacks and two dozen figures of varying alleged criminal pedigree have now been linked to the conspiracy, with a number of those arrested in raids on Monday appearing in court charged in connection with the campaign of violence.

Sayed Moosawi allegedly directed two arson attacks in Bondi.

On Monday, officers from NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police said a caravan discovered containing explosives in Dural in Sydney’s west and 14 other antisemitic attacks across Sydney’s east were a “con job” fabricated by organised criminals trying to either distract police or influence a prosecution.

The shock revelation reignited heated debate in Canberra over whether Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was playing politics when he accused Anthony Albanese of losing control of national security and questioned when the prime minister was briefed on the terror threat.

Premier Chris Minns also defended his handling of the discovery of the caravan, which he described as “terrorism” in the immediate aftermath, insisting “the terror and fear that was struck by these individuals was real” even though police were always sceptical about the caravan’s true purpose.

Across Sydney on Tuesday, people allegedly connected to the plots faced court. Most are accused of sourcing cars or spraying antisemitic messages in Sydney’s Jewish communities under cover of dark.

The most high ranking of those charged on Monday is former Nomads chapter president Sayed Moosawi, who allegedly directed two arson attacks on Bondi businesses, and court documents named as the shadowy organiser calling himself “James Bond”.

Court documents claim Moosawi, 34, directed Guy Finnegan and Craig Bantoft, who set fire to Curly Lewis brewery and bar in mid-October.

Finnegan and Bantoft, who later pleaded guilty, believed “James Bond” had sent them to the wrong address, according to court documents.

Brewery bar and restaurant Curly Lewis on Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach.Credit: James Evans

Despite the fuel poured in the entryway of the Campbell Parade business, it self-extinguished in about a minute but caused $65,000 worth of damage.

“Use [sic] f---ed the whole thing now If use [sic] f---ing couldn’t do it from the start then why did use [sic] even went there for f--- me It’s not even 2% burned f--- me dead,” Bond wrote to Guy Finnegan the day after a botched fire.

The next day, Bantoft texted Finnegan asking: “So what now… So is he paying or nah[?]”

Later in conversation, Finnegan texted: “Was it the right place, what was damaged[?]

“I’m starting to think he has sent us to the wrong place LoL.”

Days later, between 2.30 and 4.30am on October 20, Lewis Continental Kitchen on Curlewis Street was allegedly damaged by fire with Moosawi’s involvement, according to court documents.

Two other men are before the courts accused of carrying out that second Bondi arson attack.

Outside court, Moosawi’s lawyer said his client denied any involvement in both arson attacks and would fight the charges.

The charges laid

• Nicholas Alexander, 31, was arrested at Camperdown for allegedly preparing and staging cars for the attacks. He was refused bail until April.
• Two men were arrested on the Central Coast – Zac Hall,18, from San Remo and Ryan Hughes, 20, from Canton Beach. Police allege the pair provided vehicles for an arson attack on a childcare centre in Maroubra on January 21 that did more than $3 million damage. Both have been bailed.
• Henry Masivoivoi, 33, was arrested at Wentworthville over allegedly spray painting cars and homes in Kingsford on February 2. He has been refused bail.
• Ford Powell, 25, was arrested at a Box Hill home for allegedly spray painting cars and homes at Queens Park on January 11 and charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group¸ drive conveyance taken without consent of owner. He is bail refused.
• Mohammed Hijazi, 40, and a second man, 30, were arrested at a Penshurst home and taken to Kogarah Police Station. Police will allege in court that Hijazi graffitied a home and a school at Maroubra, a shopping centre at Eastgardens, and a home at Eastlakes. He has been refused bail. The younger man was charged with possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and possess prohibited drug. Police will allege in court that an electronic stun device and steroids were seized during the warrant at the Penshurst property. He was bailed.
• A 26-year-old man, arrested at Wentworth Point, was charged with prohibited drugs, proceeds of crime, possess encrypted device to commit serious criminal activity and failing to grant police access to his phone. He was bailed by police.
• Anthony Tannous, 23, and a second man, 37, were arrested after being transferred from a prison. Tannous allegedly spray painted homes and cars at Queens Park in the January 11 attacks and was refused bail. He was charged with participate criminal group, contribute criminal activity, destroy/damage property intend criminal activity of group¸ drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, as well supply prohibited drug – indictable and possess prohibited drug after testosterone and methamphetamine were allegedly found in his home. He is bail refused and will next face Waverly Court with Powell on March 25.The older man was charged for weapons possession and for being an accessory in the Maroubra child care centre arson attack.
• Two more prisoners were arrested including former Nomads bikie boss Sayed Moosawi, 34, who allegedly directed arson attacks at Bondi Beach. The second man, 41, allegedly broke into a Bondi business on October 20, 2024 and set it alight. Both remain in custody.
• Cassie Crowder, 26, was charged at Sutherland with being part of a criminal group. The drug methamphetamine and prescription medications were seized during the search of a vehicle at Sutherland and a warrant at a Campbelltown property.
•  A 27-year-old woman was also charged over drugs at an Eastlake home.

Most of the people who faced court on Monday and Tuesday are allegedly low level and ignorant of the Middle Eastern conflict thought to be the backdrop for the wave of hate crimes.

Few links to organised crime can be found among those charged since the antisemitic attacks began in October. One exception is Adam Hawi – the son of former Comanchero national president Mick Hawi.

The elder Hawi was gunned down as he left a gym in Rockdale in 2018.

His 21-year-old son, Adam, allegedly refused to tell police who used his car to travel to Woollahra, torch cars and graffiti Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant with anti-Israel messages in November.

Adam Hawi is expected to face court this month.

A man is arrested in Penshurst as part of Monday’s raids.Credit: NSW Police

Only three people were arrested for being on the “periphery” of the caravan plot, and none have been charged with any terror-related offences.

Tammie Farrugia, her partner Scott Marshall, and their friend Simon Nichols remain before the courts.

Nichols allegedly provided “kill cars” for the underworld to use in assassinations.

Fourteen people were charged after the Strike Force Pearl raids.Credit: NSW Police

Marshall, according to one friend, was picking up work on the “dark web” and “would do anything to chase a buck”. But Marshall’s friend denied the accused man knew any “heavy hitters”.

A woman picked up by Strike Force Pearl also fronted court in an unsuccessful bail application on Tuesday.

Cassie Crowder, 26, was attending Sutherland Local Court on Monday for unrelated drug charges when investigators arrested her outside the courthouse.

At the same time, counter-terror detectives were searching her parents’ Campbelltown home, leading the former Georges River College student to be charged with a slew of offences including participating in a criminal group, drug supply and drug possession.

Strike Force Pearl investigators will allege that she hired a car in the second week of January that was later used in an antisemitic graffiti attack in Maroubra later that month.

Another person picked up by Strike Force Pearl investigators, Mohamad Hijazi, was on Monday charged with being in possession of that car, a hire Kia Sonic, on the date of the Maroubra graffiti attack.

Hijazi was also charged with participating in a criminal group, driving while disqualified, failing to comply with a digital evidence access order and resisting police, and was refused bail to appear in the Downing Centre this month.

Alex Ryvchin visited his former home hours after the attack.Credit: James Brickwood

A police prosecutor who refused to provide his name to media told the court: “Criminal groups would not be able to facilitate their criminal activities without persons such as these. The principle offences with which we are dealing are heinous act of vandalism directly targeted at minority groups in the Australian community.”

The co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin said he did not believe Jewish Australians were safer than previously thought after revelations the attacks were orchestrated by organised crime.

Ryvchin’s former Dover Heights home was targeted during the series of antisemitic attacks.

“The Jewish community now has to contend with antisemitism emanating from violent criminal gangs as well as familiar ideological and political sources,” he said.

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