Terrorism police investigate anarchist extremists over Melbourne attack
Australian counterterrorism police are investigating a firebombing at a military parts manufacturer in Melbourne as an act of terrorism. Authorities suspect anarchist extremists targeted the facility due to its role in the F-35 fighter jet supply chain.
Why it matters
This marks a significant escalation in how Australian authorities classify ideologically motivated violence, specifically linking anti-Israel activism to domestic terrorism charges.
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Share A A A Counterterrorism police are treating the firebombing of an Israel-linked military parts manufacturer in Melbourne’s north-east as terrorism and have publicly indicated anarchist extremists are the prime suspects for the first time.
The Victorian Joint Counterterrorism Team (JCTT) will announce the assessment on Wednesday but have not yet arrested those who vandalised Lovitt Technologies on Para Road in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5 last year.
Five hooded figures were caught on CCTV setting alight three cars and spray-painting the Lovitt Technologies building with anti-Israel Defence Forces graffiti.
A few days later, a four-minute video appeared online, featuring a masked person in front of a Palestinian flag claiming responsibility for the arson attack on behalf of an “anonymous cell”.
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