By Max Maddison
Enough explosives to create a huge explosion were found in a caravan in north-west Sydney along with the address of a synagogue, it emerged on Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know about the alarming find and the political reaction so far.
What did the police find in the caravan?
Police found “an amount” of powergel explosives in the caravan, enough to create a 40-metre blast radius, along with notes and the address of a Sydney synagogue inside.
What are powergel explosives?
Powergel is the brand name for a range of “high-strength” explosives used in the mining industry. The grey explosive has a putty-like consistency, is packaged in film, and is the preferred use in tunnelling shaft sinking and other “extreme blasting environments”, according to commercial mining products retailer Orica.
Police executed a search warrant on a property located on Derriwong Road, Dural.Credit: TNV
When did the police make the discovery?
Officers were alerted to the caravan on Derriwong Road on January 19. The discovery came after a Dural local decided to move the vehicle onto their property after it was parked in a hazardous position at the side of a road. Police believe the caravan was left there on December 7.
Why did Premier Chris Minns and the PM keep it from the public?
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson says the horrifying discovery was kept a secret while investigations were undertaken, saying while arrests had been made “on the periphery of this job” there were other offenders still being pursued.
“There are ongoing investigations which need to be conducted [and], ideally, those investigations are conducted with some form of anonymity,” he said.
“You’re talking about the biggest counter-terrorism command in Australia with decades worth of experience, and they’ve made a judgment on a couple of things,” Minns told Sky on Thursday morning.
Deputy Commissioner David Hudson speaks while Premier Chris Minns watches on.Credit: SMH
Minns was briefed on January 20, a day after the discovery. The call to withhold the discovery from the public while investigations were ongoing was the “right decision”, he said on Thursday morning.
The information was going to be “released quite soon” before it was leaked to The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon, Hudson said. But the hastily convened press conference on Wednesday evening was clearly forced by the publication of the Telegraph story, creating questions over when exactly police planned on publicly detailing the plot.
What is Strike Force Pearl?
The task force was established in December last year to investigate hate crimes with an antisemitic focus across Sydney. It comprises officers of the Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command, with support provided by several police area commands.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner David Hudson speak at a press conference about the Dural discovery.Credit: Nine News
Why has there been a rise in antisemitic attacks?
Chris Minns has repeatedly alluded to the importation of violence from the 15-month conflict in the Middle East and, over the last fortnight, has argued that these attacks begin with hate speech in the community.
Asked on Thursday morning what was perpetuating the attacks, Minns said: “There are bad people in our community. Badly motivated, bad ideologies, bad morals, bad ethics, bad people. They’re intent on doing damage and harm to others”.
“It’s hateful. It’s an ideology that we need to stamp out.”
But there remain more questions than answers and no obvious explanation for exactly who or what is behind the attacks.
Last week, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw detailed intelligence suggesting “criminals for hire” could be behind some of the attacks, paid in cryptocurrency by foreign actors.
But there was little detail about who these alleged overseas agents could be.
There was no “particular ideology” or “any common links” between ideologies driving the attacks at this stage, Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said.
“But nothing’s excluded ... We pursue everything until we get to the truth,” he said.
What extra powers do police get if it is declared a terror incident?
The additional powers provided to police in the event of a terror designation are two-fold.
First, they permit the warrantless searching of any target, related premises or vehicle, along with the seizure of any items. It requires a “target” of the designation to hand themselves in or face up to two years in prison. Second, properties can be searched without notice, and enter the premises through adjoining land.
The designation can only be enacted if the police commissioner or a deputy is satisfied there are reasonable grounds the powers will be used to prevent an imminent terror attack, or immediately after a terror attack.
The measures were enacted by the Carr government in December 2002 in response to the September 11 attacks in the United States and the Bali bombings in October 2002, which killed 88 Australians.
The firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne in December was formally designated a terrorist incident, with the investigation being jointly handled by Victoria Police, the AFP and ASIO.
Do the police believe that ‘foreign actors’ are behind the caravan plot?
NSW Police have so far refused to be drawn on the line of inquiry that foreign powers may be behind the antisemitic attacks, including the caravan plot.
Directly asked about whether the alleged perpetrators may have been paid or under the influence of other people, Hudson said: “We don’t speculate, and we need evidence to support what our beliefs are. We’re pursuing those.”
Why are the NSW Police the only ones speaking publicly?
The AFP is seriously unimpressed with the way the information has been leaked by NSW Police, according to sources who spoke to the Herald. The JCCT is investigating 15 major incidents currently – information regarding the caravan plot has been the only leak.
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