Later, AFP revealed that a caravan containing explosives found in Sydney, which was initially treated as a terrorist threat, was unable to cause a massive explosion.
Less than 24 hours after the Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed that the caravan containing the explosives discovered in Sydney earlier this year was part of a crime plot rather than a terrorist plot, a political storm broke out.
Home Minister Tony Burke criticized opposition leader Peter Dutton for being “contempt” by his assailants for fear of political interests.
On March 10, AFP Deputy Director of National Security, Chrissy Barrett confirmed that the January incident initially feared a major terrorist attack was coordinated by organized criminals seeking to terrify themselves for personal gain.
The AFP rating revealed that caravans discovered outside Sydney were not intended to cause mass casualties.
Burke took him to social media and accused Dutton of amplifying the threat and entering the hands of criminals.
He demanded an apology from opposition leaders for misleading the public.
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“But others were held in custody by all this and it’s Peter Dutton who caught up with him today,” Burke said.
He also argued that Dutton intentionally avoided AFP briefings and continued to make “outrageous claims” about the incident.
“He chose very deliberately what he wanted to be able to continue his most outrageous claims. He wanted him to be the most frightening,” Burke said.
“And by doing so, he was running the exact script that he wanted to run organized crime.”
Burke said Dutton continued to escalate tensions despite warnings from director Mike Burgess of Australia’s Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO).
Opposition fights back: Patterson defends Dutton
The charges were not unanswered as Shadow Home Minister James Patterson rejected Burke’s claim.
He noted that on January 30, when the investigation was still treated as a terrorist threat, both Attorney General Shadow Micaria Cash and members of Dutton’s office were explained by AFP.
Later at a press conference, Dutton said the claim was totally nonsense.
“I requested a briefing on January 22nd. I requested a briefing about a week later. In my discussions with the ASIO Director, including those briefings and through February 18th, there was no mention of the hoax.”
He added that the Prime Minister needs to answer questions when advised that this is a hoax.
Mins defends early terrorist threat assessment
The New South Wales (NSW) Premier Crismins defended the initial treatment of the caravan as a potential terrorist threat.
“We had to be very clear about what was revealed in the newspaper. I think reasonable people would assume that the NSW police and the NSW government would say, “I want this to be investigated as if it were a potentially worst possible revelation in general.”
Minds unintentionally reflects the actions Burke criticised against opposition leaders, supporting the attention presented by the authorities.
He pointed to recent attacks, including a fire bomb near the synagogue, justifying increased security responses.
“So, based on all that information, the attacks that took place before and after the discovery of the caravan would have been negligent to not take this incredibly seriously,” he said.
Mins declined to designate it when informed that the threat had been exaggerated.
“Obviously once the information came to light, as the investigation and investigation continued, the changes in the investigation and motivations of the person in charge became apparent,” he said.
“But I was not in a position to hold a press conference and say, ‘By the way, things have changed.’ ”
Barrett, the Vice Chair of AFP, also reiterated Mins’ sentiment that law enforcement must handle the situation at the highest level to ensure public safety.
The vehicle, which had been abandoned on the side of the road for several weeks before being towed by the concerned bystanders, contained power gel, a chemical commonly used in mining operations, in a memo listing Jewish targets.
Initially, authorities feared that the caravan could cause a width of 40 meters. However, investigations revealed that the power gel was decades old and lacked explosive devices, which could not cause a massive explosion.
However, she admitted that the people were misled about the true nature of the threat.
