The fire caused extensive damage to the synagogue and a worshiper sustained minor injuries.<\/p>\n
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which brings together federal and state police with a spy agency, charged the man, who has not been named, with offenses including arson.<\/p>\n
He was charged in a Melbourne jail where he was already being held in custody on unrelated offenses. Police declined to elaborate on those offenses.<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n His co-accused Giovanni Laulu, 21, was arrested<\/a> in July last year and another suspect, Younes Ali Younes, 20, was arrested a month later<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last year accused Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard of directing the synagogue fire and an arson attack two months earlier at a Sydney kosher eatery, Lewis\u2019 Continental Kitchen.<\/p>\n Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation\u2019s main domestic spy agency, said the Revolutionary Guard used a \u201ccomplex web of proxies to hide its involvement\u201d in both antisemitic attacks.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s ambassador to Australia and another three Iranian diplomats were expelled<\/a>. Tehran has denied Australia\u2019s allegations.<\/p>\n Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Crozier told reporters on Friday that investigators were working with international partners in the continuing investigation. Police were also investigating whether the three alleged arsonists knew who ordered the attack.<\/p>\n \u201cThey may not actually be aware of the people who are directing or the principals of these investigations. That remains a key line of inquiry for us,\u201d Crozier said.<\/p>\n \t Victoria Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul O\u2019Halloran said police had informed the local Jewish community of the third arrest before the news was made public.<\/p>\n \u201cOur heart goes out to them. Again, this brings back this terrible incident,\u201d O\u2019Halloran said. \u201cPeople deserve the right to feel safe and be safe in their community and particularly at their place of worship. Today\u2019s charges are a strong testament to this.\u201d<\/p>\n The latest suspect will make his first court appearance on the new charges next week.<\/p>\n The Australian government has established a public inquiry to investigate a rise in antisemitism across the country, including the killing of 15 people when two gunmen opened fire on a Sydney Hanukkah celebration in December at Bondi Beach.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t The war with Iran has been draining for all of us in Israel. But when I heard about a high casualty incident \u2013 ballistic missile impacts in Arad and Dimona that left nearly 200 people wounded \u2013 I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south.<\/p>\n There, I spoke with Shilgit, the head of an after-school program for underprivileged youth. Standing outside her destroyed center, Shilgit said it was a miracle that no children were hurt and spoke about the community coming together in the hours since.<\/p>\n As a Times of Israel reporter, I\u2019m committed to telling stories of resilience like Shilgit\u2019s. But my colleagues and I can’t do this alone. If you value work like this, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to keep real human reporting like this going.<\/p>\n \u2014 Stav Levaton, military reporter<\/p>\n \t\t\t
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\n\t\tAustralia\u2019s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) and members of the local Jewish community visiting the torched Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 10, 2024. (DEPARTMENT OF PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET \/ AFP)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2024-12-08T130059Z_776014520_MT1SOPAADASS9009_RTRMADP_3_SOPA-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tFlowers and messages of hope and support seen at the Adass Israel Synagogue in the Ripponlea suburb of Melbourne, December 8, 2024, after it was gutted in an arson attack early on December 6, 2024. (Reuters)<\/p>\n
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