Australian intel says Iran directed attack on Melbourne synagogue

Australia's domestic intelligence agency has linked Iran to a 2024 firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue, with ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess saying a former Australian resident living in Iraq directed the attack on behalf of Tehran.

Speaking in his annual threat assessment on Wednesday (June 24), Burgess said the individual was recruited through a network of Iraqi militia groups and was supported by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) because of his wealth and criminal connections, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

He said the man was later imprisoned following pressure from Australian and local authorities.

Burgess also revealed that an Iran-based Australian citizen allegedly orchestrated the October 2024 firebombing of the Lewis Continental Kitchen restaurant in Sydney's Bondi area, describing the incident as the first major attack in a wave of antisemitic violence that year.

The ASIO chief said the individual was a senior operative of the IRGC's Qods Force and belonged to a covert unit responsible for coordinating operations in Western countries. He declined to identify the suspects, citing ongoing investigations and prosecutions.

Calling the synagogue attack an act of "state-sponsored terrorism," Burgess said antisemitism in Australia stemmed from a range of extremist ideologies and foreign actors, including Iran. He added that businesses perceived to have links to Israel had also been targeted by vandalism and arson attacks.

More broadly, Burgess warned that Australia's security environment continues to deteriorate amid rising espionage, foreign interference, cyber threats and politically motivated violence. He said foreign intelligence services were actively targeting Australia's defence capabilities, including the AUKUS security partnership, while state-backed hackers had infiltrated critical infrastructure networks in preparation for possible sabotage.

Burgess said counter-terrorism remains a core priority for ASIO despite growing demands from espionage and foreign interference investigations, noting that staffing dedicated to counter-terrorism has nearly doubled compared with two decades ago.

By Aghakazim Guliyev