Anonymous ‘group' claims responsibility for attack on Israel-linked military parts maker

Sydney Morning Herald

6 days ago

The individual goes on to threaten violence against Lovitt Technologies employees: 'Every worker in this supply chain is complicit … We will decide your fate as you have decided the fate of millions.
'For the past few months, we have been closely watching you. We have your addresses. All the information we have about you will be distributed to our underground networks.'
The video began circulating widely online on Monday after it was uploaded to an anonymous Instagram account, but it was first reported by The Guardian late last week.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said on Monday that the investigation into the vandal attack had been escalated to its counterterrorism unit.
'The matter is now being investigated by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes personnel from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
'Investigators are aware of a video which has been circulating where a group has claimed responsibility for the incident. This video is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation,' the spokesperson said.
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Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said failing to confront the threat of extremist behaviour would harm Australia.
'Seeing a group resembling an al-Qaeda terror cell openly pledging to carry out criminal acts is chilling and disturbing. It doesn't matter that they think they're doing something just and righteous – Islamist terrorists and neo-Nazis think that too.
'What matters is that we remain a country of laws and not allow bands of zealots to decide what is a legitimate target for violence and criminal acts. '
Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission described the video as a 'manifesto of violence'.
'The people targeted in this video are ordinary Australians. Parents who pack school lunches. Children who kiss them goodnight.
'They were not just threatened, they were told they were being watched. We now face a chilling question: what happens when a campaign of hate leaves the internet and enters your driveway? What happens when slogans turn to gasoline? This is not an isolated episode.'
The vandal attack occurred the same night that Sydney man Angelo Loras allegedly attempted to firebomb an East Melbourne synagogue with children and families inside, and 20 people stormed Israeli restaurant Miznon in Melbourne's CBD.
Police have not found a formal link between the three incidents or determined if the firebombing was an act of terror.
A Lovitt Technologies spokesperson declined to comment, citing the police investigation.
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The video footage emerged as Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin called on the state's new police chief, Mike Bush, to explain what he planned to do to stop expressions of anti-Jewish hatred at public demonstrations. Bush has officially been in the job for two weeks and attended the first meeting of Premier Jacinta Allan's new anti-hate taskforce.
Battin expressed frustration that during last Sunday's regular pro-Palestine rally in central Melbourne, protesters chanted 'Death to the IDF' and displayed swastikas without intervention by police who were monitoring the march.
'Mike Bush, obviously, he is fairly new in the job and we will give him the benefit of the doubt, but he needs to be coming out and explaining what he is doing when it comes to the protests here in this state,' Battin said.
'Is he acting on policy from the Victorian government or is he going to go out and start acting to ensure that we can take back the streets and not have this hate speech on Victorian streets?
Battin restated his support for the re-introduction of move-on laws for police and backed a recommendation by Australia's Special Envoy for Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, to withdraw government funding from public universities, broadcasters and other organisations which tolerated antisemitism.