Counterterrorism police are treating the firebombing of an Israel-linked military parts manufacturer in Melbourne’s north-east as terrorism and have publicly indicated anarchist extremists are the prime suspects for the first time.
The Victorian Joint Counterterrorism Team (JCTT) will announce the assessment on Wednesday but have not yet arrested those who vandalised Lovitt Technologies on Para Road in Greensborough at 3.55am on July 5 last year.
Five hooded figures were caught on CCTV setting alight three cars and spray-painting the Lovitt Technologies building with anti-Israel Defence Forces graffiti.
A few days later, a four-minute video appeared online, featuring a masked person in front of a Palestinian flag claiming responsibility for the arson attack on behalf of an “anonymous cell”.
The speaker said Lovitt Technologies was targeted for being part of the supply chain for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is used by Israel and other US-aligned nations, including Australia. Lovitt has produced titanium longeron keels for the F-35’s inner wing assembly for Lockheed Martin.
Soon after the video was posted, a spokesperson for Victoria Police said the vandalism investigation had been escalated to its counterterrorism unit.
But it took until this week for authorities to formally declare the attack was being investigated as an act of terrorism. Police also now allege the group behind the attack also posted the video, which this masthead previously could not verify.
“The JCTT, which includes the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO, is investigating whether the perpetrators were far-left extremists, motivated by anarchist and revolutionary ideologies,” an Australian Federal Police statement said.
The Victorian JCTT uses national terminology to classify violent extremism as either religiously motivated or ideologically motivated.
This is the first time the JCTT has publicly stated they believe an incident might be motivated by “anarchist and revolutionary ideologies” since the taskforce was established after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The video posted about the Lovitt Technologies arson last year also threatened further attacks, with the masked person saying “we have your addresses” in what appeared to be a threat towards employees.
“Every worker in this supply chain is complicit,” the speaker said with a distorted voice. “We will decide your fate as you have decided the fate of millions.”
Police on Wednesday said the offenders “outlined a number of grievances in support of Palestine” and said they had targeted the company “in the belief it was part of a broader Australian Defence Force supply chain”.
“Members of the group voiced their opposition to the Australian government and advised how to create an incendiary device similar to the one suspected of creating a fire that damaged vehicles at the Greensborough business,” police said.
“After the attack on the business, the alleged offenders left via a back fence and travelled on e-bikes south-west along Plenty River.”
AFP Detective Superintendent Anthony Hall said the Lovitt Technologies arson was serious and investigators had some information about those responsible.
“At any time, we could be knocking on the door of the accused group,” he said. “We know this is making some in the group anxious – and it should, because we are determined to bring them before the courts.”
The offence of engaging in a terrorist act is punishable by life imprisonment under federal law.
The contentious definition of terrorism is undergoing an independent review, but the Commonwealth Criminal Code currently says it includes “serious damage to property”.
Victoria Police previously said one car was destroyed and another two were “moderately” damaged in the Greensborough arson last year.
Offenders also used red spray paint to scrawl slogans on the cars and vandalised a wall.
Victoria Police Detective Acting Superintendent Anthony Wheatfill said fire was unpredictable and its use in the Greensborough attack could have put the wider community at significant risk.
“That anyone would use such violent and dangerous methods to express a political or social viewpoint is unacceptable,” he said.
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