Victoria Police execute further raids over Adass Israel Synagogue firebombing

Further raids have been executed as part of the major investigation into the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea in December.

Counter-terror police investigating the Adass Israel Synagogue firebombing have carried out raids on at least three Melbourne homes.

The properties in the northern suburbs were hit in the early hours of Friday as detectives probing the synagogue atrocity close the net on suspects.

A number of people are currently speaking with police and the properties which were the subject of the warrants are being searched.

Members of the Jewish community remove religious artefacts. Picture: David Caird

The attack at Ripponlea has been at the centre of a major inquiry by the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team.

Investigators are believed to have made significant headway since making arrests over the Lux nightclub in November.

They went public with revelations that the same vehicle used at Lux was also driven to the Ripponlea incident.

CCTV showed two men allegedly setting it alight.

A number of jerry cans were seen in the “communal crime car”.

Anyone charged and convicted of the synagogue firebombing would be at risk of a life prison sentence because of its political motivation.

An Australian Federal Police statement urged any witnesses of others with knowledge of who was involved and their motives to come forward.

“Investigators are keen to speak to anyone who observed any suspicious activity in the area either in the lead up to or following the fire,” the agency said.

“This investigation continues to be treated as a priority including the involvement of significant resources across all agencies.”

It burst into flames just after 4am December 6. Picture: Supplied

The Herald Sun last month revealed links between the blaze at the synagogue and the firebombing of the Lux nightclub nearby.

A “communal crime car” was allegedly used as the getaway vehicle for both firebombings which occurred within days of each other.

Detectives on both a federal and state level executed a series of raids last month which resulted in the arrests of two men wanted over the nightclub fire.

Priceless religious artefacts were damaged. Picture: David Caird

It devastated Melbourne’s Jewish community. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

There remains no religious motive for the Lux attack which caused more than $10m in damage.

The synagogue was razed by fire on December 6 in what was quickly declared to be a terror-related attack.

Several early morning worshippers were forced to flee as men doused the Ripponlea building in fuel before setting it alight about 4.10am.

The attack left Melbourne’s Jewish community devastated with millions of dollars worth of irreplaceable religious materials destroyed.

Originally published as Victoria Police execute further raids over Adass Israel Synagogue firebombing