Nearly six months after the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, Australian police released surveillance footage Thursday showing three men pouring flammable liquid and setting the building on fire before fleeing in a vehicle.
The fire occurred on December 5, 2024, at approximately 4:30 a.m. Two worshippers, present for morning prayers, spotted the flames and promptly alerted emergency services and firefighters, helping prevent casualties and more extensive damage. The blaze completely destroyed one section of the synagogue, while another part survived but was filled with heavy smoke. Seventeen fire trucks and 60 firefighters responded to the scene, and two people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
At a press conference, police identified the vehicle captured in the footage as a stolen Volkswagen Golf, previously used in other crimes before the synagogue arson. These incidents include an arson attack at a nightlife venue in November 2024 and arson and shootings in Bundoora on the same night as the synagogue attack.
The Golf was seized by police the previous year. Victoria Police are investigating the shootings at other locations, which are not believed to be politically motivated. Authorities said they reviewed security footage from more than 1,400 locations to identify suspects.
“We believe several offenders are directly and indirectly connected to the synagogue arson, and our terrorism investigation is ongoing,” police said. “We remind those involved that terrorism carries a life sentence.”
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Police warned the suspects and those involved, stating, “It is only a matter of time before police knock on your door. It is in your interest to come forward now.”
Tess Walsh, deputy commander of Victoria Police’s counter-terrorism unit, said investigators have worked “tirelessly over the past five months” on the case. She added that a key investigative focus was determining who planned the attack and why, beyond just identifying the arsonists
Walsh noted a breakthrough linking the vehicle to an arson attack at a city nightclub the day before the synagogue fire. “We now believe the same car was involved in the synagogue arson and other significant crimes, including shootings and aggravated burglaries across Melbourne,” she said.
Authorities appealed to the public for assistance. “The Volkswagen Golf is critical to the investigation,” police said. “We need help identifying those who used the vehicle and their activities. Any small detail could be crucial.”