The Australian Federal Police have never rejected the possibility that the plot would be produced.
The caravan containing the explosives that rattle Australia earlier this year has been confirmed as a “fake” terrorism conspiracy.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced on March 10 that the incident was coordinated by organized criminals rather than terrorists.
“Today, I can make it clear that the caravan never causes a massive casualty event, but instead was concocted by criminals who want to raise fear of personal interests,” Deputy National Security Director Chrissy Barrett told reporters.
The caravan, discovered in Sydney in January, was initially feared to be part of a major terrorist attack.
The vehicle consisted of Powergel, a chemical commonly used in mining operations, along with notes containing Jewish targets. The van was abandoned on the side of the road for several weeks before being towed by the involved bystanders.
Police initially estimated that the power gel could cause a blast radius of 40 meters wide. However, the chemicals were decades old and there were no explosive devices.
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Investigators have determined that the entire plot is currently being manufactured.
Organized by organized crime
According to Deputy Chief Barrett, the plot was an elaborate ploy designed by criminals both in Australia and offshore.
Authorities believe that the heads are intended to use the threat to gain personal benefits, including leniency in criminal cases.
As an example, AFP said last year that prisoners tried to secure powerful weapons for fake terrorists, so he said he could provide information to authorities in exchange for reducing drug trafficking sentences.
He was identified after AFP found evidence of his suspected plan on an encrypted platform.
“This twisted, selfish crime has terrified Australians. It has been condemned that organized crime has (reportedly) gone to the Jewish community, and we won’t go without consequences.”
Damages are seen following the fire bomb at the Adas Isla El Synagogue held in Melbourne, Australia on December 9, 2024. AAP Image/Yumi Rosenbaum
Arrests and ongoing investigations
After the issue was leaked to the media, NSW Premier Chris Mins led a reporter to take the issue ahead of it.
He called the discovery a “potential mass casualty event.”
As part of the investigation, NSW police launched Strike Force Parl, resulting in 14 additional arrests on 49 charges. The attacks took place throughout Sydney, with further arrests expected.
However, none of the arrests have been directly linked to the Caravan conspiracy.
Police also confirmed that the ringleader behind the scheme remains. Authorities believe that individuals are maintaining a distance from the surgery.
“We believe that the people pulling the strings want a change to criminal status, but we have hired local criminals to maintain a distance from the plan and implement some of their plans. But the plan has been hampered,” Barrett said.
Authorities continue to work with international law enforcement to track all individuals involved.
Political Fallout and Inquiry Calls
The discovery of the caravan has sparked fear among Jewish communities, which have already been strongly wary of the surge in anti-Semitism cases since the Israel-Hamas War began in October 2023.
Reported incidents of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia have risen across Australia, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne.
NSW Deputy Police Chief David Hudson admitted the pain caused, but suggested that Jewish Australians could provide some comfort to know that the attack was being coordinated by small groups.
Mins explained earlier, the prime minister said later.
Meanwhile, the federal government is facing scrutiny over the incident.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton called for an independent investigation into why Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was not immediately notified of the discovery of the explosives.
Albanese refused to confirm when he received the briefing, saying, “We will not discuss these details as it is an ongoing investigation.”
When pressed in Congress by opposition front venture Michael Sukkul, Albanese claimed he was following the advice of AFP and ASIO.
“What you do when you do an ongoing investigation is that you’re being advised by the Australian Federal Police and the Director of ASIO, and that’s exactly what I’ve done all this time,” he said.
During the Senate investigation, AFP was investigated on the same issue.
Commissioner Reese Kershaw refused to answer.
“It relates to the operation of the ongoing joint counterterrorism team… I am aware that this is a hearing and not a suitable forum to provide information,” he said.
In response to the AFP revelation, Home Minister Tony Burke said opposition leaders had sought to harness the issue for political interests.
“If you don’t care about the facts, if you don’t care about unfair fear and responsibility in our community, you can’t trust national security.”
