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A fire which ripped through Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue is being treated as a likely terror attack, Australian police say.<\/p>\n
Three suspects are being hunted over Friday’s early-morning blaze, which left one man with a minor burn to his hand and caused extensive damage.<\/p>\n
Witnesses say they saw masked figures spreading what appeared to be an accelerant in the building, before setting it alight.<\/p>\n
Victoria Police say they have no evidence that further antisemitic attacks are planned, but patrols are being increased to reassure the community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After a meeting with Australian Federal Police and domestic spy agency Asio, the state police force said additional “intelligence” had led them to conclude the incident should be treated as a probable terror attack.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Shane Patton said police had no information before the fire to suggest an arson attack was imminent.<\/p>\n
He declined to provide any further details on the investigation while it continued.<\/p>\n
Mr Patton’s declaration came a day after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “quite clearly terrorism” while acknowledging police were still to make up their minds. He called his description a “personal view”.<\/p>\n
On Monday, state Premier Jacinta Allan said the terror designation meant police would now have extra resources for their investigation.<\/p>\n
Jewish community leaders have said they believe the attack is an escalation of a recent documented increase in antisemitism in Australia, and that it has heightened fears of violence.<\/p>\n
A few worshippers were inside the building at the time of the fire, and have described hearing banging and seeing a window smash, before liquids were thrown inside and lit on fire.<\/p>\n
“The whole thing took off pretty quickly,” synagogue board member Benjamin Klein, who spoke to witnesses, told The Age newspaper.<\/p>\n
After officers at the scene were confronted by angry and scared worshippers on Friday, Mr Patton said police were focused on ensuring their safety.<\/p>\n
“We have… extra police officers deployed in those areas where there are high numbers of Jewish persons living and congregating,” he said.<\/p>\n
Allan also called for the city to rally behind its Jewish communities.<\/p>\n
“We cannot let this conflict overseas continue to be a cloak for behaviour like [this].”<\/p>\n
Albanese also on Monday announced a new federal strikeforce to investigate incidents of antisemitism.<\/p>\n
The prime minister said a special response was needed to combat the rising threat, pointing to two other recent incidents – the vandalism of a Jewish MP’s office and an attack in Sydney in which a car was torched and buildings graffitied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n