A 20-year-old Melbourne man, Ali Younes, was remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with arson in a December 2024 attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue. Australian authorities have accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating the blaze, which gutted the synagogue, destroyed sacred texts, and injured a worshipper, prompting the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador—the first such diplomatic action since World War II.
Younes, from Melbourne’s northern suburbs, appeared via video link at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, speaking only to confirm he understood the proceedings. He faces charges of arson, reckless conduct endangering life, and car theft, alongside co-accused Giovanni Laulu, 21, from Melbourne’s west. Both suspects, charged by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, remain in custody and are scheduled to return to court on December 4. The charges carry potential sentences of up to 15 years for arson and 10 years each for the other offenses, with the attack declared a terrorist act, though no terrorism charges have been filed yet.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) alleges Iran directed the synagogue attack and a prior firebombing of a Sydney kosher restaurant, Lewis’ Continental Kitchen, in October 2024, using proxies to mask its involvement. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incidents “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” aimed at undermining Australia’s social cohesion. ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess revealed that the IRGC employed a “complex web of proxies” to execute these attacks, though no direct evidence linking Iran has emerged in court proceedings so far. Iran’s Foreign Ministry, through spokesman Esmail Baghaei, denied the allegations, framing them as a Western smear campaign.
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The synagogue attack, which saw three masked arsonists douse the building with an accelerant, caused millions in damages and left the Jewish community reeling. Benjamin Klein, a board member of the Adass Israel Synagogue, described the attack as “shocking and traumatic,” noting increased security at a temporary worship site. Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry expressed fears that Jewish Australians feel vulnerable, with businesses like the targeted Sydney restaurant still grappling with the attack’s implications. Two Sydney men, Wayne Dean Ogden, 40, and Juon Amuoi, 26, remain in custody for the restaurant firebombing, while Sayed Mohammed Moosawi, 32, a former Nomads biker gang leader, is out on bail for allegedly directing it.
Australia’s response has been swift and severe. On August 26, 2025, Canberra expelled Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other diplomats, severed diplomatic ties, and closed its embassy in Tehran. Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged the estimated 4,000 Australians in Iran to leave immediately, citing the regime’s “unpredictable” nature. Sadeghi, given 72 hours to depart, was spotted at the embassy on August 27 but made no comment. Albanese emphasized that the attacks, linked to Iran’s IRGC, were an assault on Australia’s values, though he withheld specific evidence to protect ongoing investigations and ensure fair trials.
The incidents follow a surge in antisemitic and Islamophobic acts in Australia since the Israel-Gaza war began in October 2023, with the Executive Council of Australian Jewry reporting a fourfold increase in antisemitic incidents from 2023 to 2024. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stressed the gravity of foreign-directed attacks, even if local perpetrators were unaware of Iran’s involvement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his criticisms of Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood influenced the expulsion, a claim Burke dismissed as “complete nonsense.”
As investigations continue, Australia’s Jewish community remains on edge, with heightened security measures in place. The case has not only strained Australia-Iran relations but also highlighted the global reach of antisemitic violence, leaving authorities and citizens alike grappling with its implications.
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