Police investigate arson on Victorian defence company as 'far left terror'
It is the first time Australian authorities have investigated what they consider to be a potential far-left terror attack, motivated by anarchist and revolutionary ideology.
Police in Victoria are probing an arson attack on a defense company, now suspected of being a politically motivated act of terror. The incident at Lovitt Industries, located in Melbourne's northeast, occurred last July when three vehicles were set ablaze and a building defaced. A subsequent video surfaced, purportedly from the perpetrators, linking the attack to the Israel-Gaza conflict and threatening to halt the manufacturer's operations if it continued to support Israel's military endeavors.
Australian authorities, comprising officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police, and ASIO, are now treating the attack as a potential far-left terror incident, with ties to anarchist and revolutionary ideologies. This marks the inaugural investigation by Australian authorities into a suspected far-left terror act, driven by ideological motives.
In the video, a speaker dressed in black, positioned before a Palestinian flag, claimed the company was targeted for supplying parts to the F-35 jet program shared by Australia and Israel, and included instructions on crafting firebombs similar to those utilized in the attack. AFP Detective Superintendent Anthony Hall expressed confidence in the ongoing investigation, noting that "we clearly have some information about these alleged offenders and are focused on identifying who they are."
He emphasized the gravity of the criminality and reiterated the police's commitment to combating terror motivated by extremist ideologies. The Australian Federal Police, alongside their partners, are actively seeking the individuals responsible. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director General, Mike Burgess, warned in a recent speech about the rising concern over far-left extremism, especially in the context of Middle Eastern conflicts.
He highlighted that while far-right extremism dominates ASIO's inquiries, far-left extremism is a burgeoning concern, fueled by events in the Middle East. Over the past year, ASIO has observed an uptick in provocative protests and destructive tactics by anti-Israel activists, including arson, vandalism, and violent demonstrations against defense firms accused of supplying weapon components.
In late September, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, convened a summit in Washington DC to bolster international efforts against what was described as a growing menace of far-left terror. The summit drew criticism for seemingly prioritizing concerns about far-left terror over far-right terror, drawing mixed reactions from both domestic and international observers.
Australia was represented by an embassy official at the event. A government source confirmed Australia's involvement in the summit without linking it to the Trump administration's initiatives on far-left extremism, stating that the Australian government's stance was independently formulated.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
