Synopsis
Australian police are investigating the discovery of explosives in a caravan in Sydney's northwest. The authorities suspect that they may have been intended for an antisemitic attack. Premier Chris Minns has mobilized state resources to address this serious threat to the community.Key Takeaways
- Explosives found in a caravan in Dural.
- Potential link to an antisemitic attack.
- Collaboration with federal and state police forces.
- No ongoing threat to the community identified.
- Related shooting incident involving a known criminal in Melbourne.
Sydney, January 29 (NationPress) Authorities in Australia are probing the circumstances surrounding the discovery of explosives inside a caravan in Sydney, the capital of New South Wales (NSW), which may have been aimed at facilitating an antisemitic attack.
The NSW police reported that the caravan, packed with explosives, was uncovered on a property in Dural, situated approximately 25 km northwest of Sydney's center, on January 19.
During a press briefing, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson indicated that there exists some evidence suggesting the explosives were meant for an antisemitic assault.
Hudson noted that the NSW Police are collaborating with the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, along with law enforcement in the neighboring states of Victoria and Queensland to delve deeper into this matter.
NSW Premier Chris Minns stated that the state has mobilized all necessary resources to tackle the significant threat posed to the community, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Hudson mentioned that the explosives are believed to have been sourced from a mining site and possess a potential blast radius of around 40 meters. He reassured the public that there is currently no evidence of additional explosives within the community.
A statement from NSW Police confirmed that there is no ongoing danger to the public.
In a related incident, the identity of a victim from a fatal shooting in Melbourne's northern suburbs on Tuesday morning has been confirmed as an underworld figure known as 'The Punisher'.
Suleiman 'Sam' Abdulrahim, aged 32, was shot multiple times by assailants in an underground hotel parking area in Preston, located 9 km north of Melbourne's central area, around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
Victoria Police Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas informed the media that Abdulrahim succumbed to his injuries at the scene despite attempts at first aid by a woman believed to be his girlfriend, along with police and paramedics.
“Family and friends are devastated and understandably so, they have lost someone dear,” Thomas stated.
He added that authorities suspect the attackers escaped in a white vehicle, and they are looking into the connection of a burnt-out Porsche discovered later in a nearby suburb to the incident.
Abdulrahim, who previously served three years for a fatal car accident, had survived multiple assassination attempts in the past.
In 2022, he was shot eight times in the chest and stomach at a cemetery in northern Melbourne. In May 2024, he narrowly escaped injury when shots were fired at him as he left his residence.
As reported by Nine Entertainment newspapers, Abdulrahim had recently gone into hiding due to a AUS $1 million (approximately USD $625,532) bounty on his life.
Thomas mentioned on Tuesday that police had previously engaged with him about his safety and that they would investigate how the shooters located him.
