From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Australian police arrest suspect in Melbourne synagogue arson attack
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Australian police say they have arrested one of three men they suspect are responsible for an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue that marked a major escalation in antisemitic violence across the nation.
A 21-year-old Melbourne man was arrested at a house today on suspicion that he had set fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in December, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam says. The predawn attack destroyed the synagogue and left a worshiper with minor burns.
The arrest is a major breakthrough for investigators in the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team that is treating the attack as politically motivated.
The team involves Victoria state and federal police as well as Australia’s main domestic spy agency. More than 220 law enforcement officers have devoted more than 50,000 hours to the investigation.
The suspect, who has not been named, was being questioned about offenses including arson, conduct endangering life and car theft, Steendam says.
An arson conviction carries a potential maximum of 15 years in prison, while the other two offenses are each punishable by 10 years imprisonment. The suspect has yet to be charged.
“This investigation remains ongoing and we anticipate there’ll be further arrests,” Steendam tells reporters.
“I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain relentless in our pursuit in finding all those responsible for this crime and holding them to account,” she added.
The Times of Israel Community.