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The Australian Federal Police is investigating whether recent antisemitic attacks in Australia have been fuelled by overseas individuals.
AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw says since a special taskforce into antisemitic attacks, Special Operation Avelite, was formed in December, there had been 166 reports made to them.
The taskforce is investigating 15 “serious allegations” of those, she says. There has been one arrest made.
“All lines of inquiry are open to the investigations including what anonymising technology, such as dedicated encrypted communication devices, have been used to commit these crimes,” she says.
“We are looking into whether overseas actors or individuals have paid local criminals in Australia to carry out some of these crimes in our suburbs.”
Kershaw says they want to learn if payments to these criminals were made in cryptocurrency.
“We are regularly talking to our Five Eyes and trusted international partners about these issues …”
The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance involving Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the US.
PRIME MINISTER
In Parramatta, NSW, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the assessment that at least some of the attacks were committed by paid actors.
“It’s unclear who or where the payments are coming from,” he says.
He says 40 arrests have already been made in NSW and that bail has been denied to them.
In the most recent incident, a childcare centre at Maroubra, about 200m from a synagogue, was set on fire and covered in antisemitic graffiti.
Albanese confirmed that the Five Eyes alliance is involved with the AFP investigations.
“Five Eyes are playing a role. This isn’t something that began yesterday.
“These things are ongoing, which is why people have been rounded up, arrested, charged, and are currently in jail without bail.”
He said national cabinet held a virtual meeting to be briefed on the attacks.
Apart from the NSW arrests, 70 arrests have been made in Victoria.
A national data base is to be set up to track antisemitic crimes as well.
