Anthony Albanese has confirmed the Iranian government was behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia.
‘ASIO has gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion: the Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney on October 20 last year, and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
‘ASIO assesses it’s likely Iran directed further attacks as well. These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. They were attempts to undermine social cohesion.
‘We informed the Iranian ambassador to Australia he would be expelled. We have suspended operations at our embassy in Tehran, and all our diplomats are now safe in a third country.
‘The Australian people want two things, they want killing in the Middle East to stop, and they don’t want conflict in the Middle East brought here.
‘Iran has sought to do just that. They have sought to harm and terrorise Jewish Australians and sow hatred and division in our community.’
Foreign minister Penny Wong urged Australians in Iran to return home.
Anthony Albanese has confirmed the Iranian government was behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia
Foreign minister Penny Wong urged Australians in Iran to return home
‘Since 2020, Australians have been advised not to travel to Iran, our limited ability to provide consular assistance is limited,’ she said.
‘I know many Australians have family connections in Iran, but I urge any Australian who may be considering travelling to Iran please do not do so. If you’re an Australian in Iran, leave now if it is safe to do so.’
ASIO director general Mike Burgess said ASIO is still investigating possible Iranian involvement in a number of other attacks, along with the two it had already linked to Iran.
‘Our painstaking investigation uncovered and unpicked the links between the alleged crimes and the commanders in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC. The IRGC used a complex web of proxies to hide its involvement.
‘It goes without saying that Iran’s actions are unacceptable. They put lives at risk, they terrified the community, and they tore at our social fabric. Iran and its proxies lit the matches and fanned the flames. I want to assure all Australians that ASIO and our law enforcement partners take these matters extremely seriously.’
He was asked if Iran directly funding gangs in Australia, or sending operatives here?
‘What I can say is there’s – it’s a layer cake of cut-outs between IRGC and the person or the alleged perpetrators conducting crimes.
‘In between them, they tap into a number of people, agents of IRGC, and people that they know in the criminal world, and work through there, so it’s a series of chains.
‘There’s an organised crime element offshore in this. But that’s not to suggest organised crime are doing it. They’re just using cut-outs, including people who are criminal and members of organised crime gangs to do their bidding or direct their bidding.’
He said Australian crime groups were not believed to have played any role in the attacks.
