A caravan filled with explosives potentially intended for the Jewish community was powerful enough to detonate a 40-metre blast radius—about 151 feet or the equivalent of two tennis courts.
The vehicle was discovered by a member of the public parked on a road in Dural, northwest of Sydney from Dec. 7 to Jan. 19.
The bystander then towed it onto his own property and looked inside, which compelled him to contact the authorities. Law enforcement began investigating the caravan on Jan. 19.
In a press conference on Jan. 29 with NSW Premier Chris Minns and Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson, it was revealed the caravan was laden with Powergel, a detonator normally used in mining operations.
A note was also reportedly found inside containing the addresses of Jewish people, a synagogue, and the words, “[Expletive] the Jews.”
‘Mass Casualty Event’: NSW Premier
NSW Premier Minns said in a statement that he believed the “explosives were part of an attempted anti-Semitic attack.”
He later told reporters the discovering was evidence of terrorism.
“This is the discovery of a potential mass casualty event,” he told reporters.
“There’s only one way of calling it out, and that is terrorism.
“That’s what we’re very worried about.”
Minns said all resources would be thrust into the investigation.
“This would strike terror into the community, particularly the Jewish community, and it must be met with the full resources of the government,” he said.
Deputy Police Commissioner Hudson told media investigators were considering whether the Powergel might have been obtained from a mining site.
“This is an ongoing investigation and is being taken seriously with all lines of inquiry being pursued.”
Hudson said there was no ongoing threat to the community, despite the disturbing nature of the find.
“I can say the amount of explosives is very real, and we need to take every threat at its absolute highest in this current environment,” he said.
“Investigations into over the last 10 days have progressed, however, there is a lot to do.
“We have made arrests on the periphery of this job, but we are still looking for assistance in relation to anyone who saw that caravan parked by the side of the road from the seventh of December to the 19th of January this year in Dural, a caravan that was parked in a hazardous position prior to it being moved by a local resident.”
According to product websites, Powergel is used in the mining industry for “extreme blasting” and delivers “high energy” explosions.
NSW Police are also working with Victorian and Queensland counterparts to investigate any potential links to incidents in other states.
Deputy Commissioner Hudson said the investigation was not yet part of Strike Force Pearl—a special operation set up to investigate anti-Semitic events in Sydney.
The Australian Jewish Association took to Facebook to express concern over the latest discovery.
“The Albanese Government should have never allowed it to get this bad,” they said.
“They ignored every warning, now Australia is paying the price.”
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called it “sickening as it is horrifying.”
“It is incumbent on the federal government and its national security ministers to say when they knew about this sickening incident, who is behind it, and what steps they took to protect Australia’s Jewish community.”
