Today I will provide a brief update on Operation Arques.
A 24-year-old man charged with 59 offences remains in custody in a NSW hospital.
The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team continues to review evidence and information, including from search warrants conducted as recently as yesterday.
The location of the search warrants will not be made public but let me reassure Australians that we are leaving no stone unturned in Australia and overseas in this investigation.
There are three clear priorities for the AFP and our partners through the JCTT:
- We will ensure we prepare a thorough and fulsome brief of evidence to prosecute the alleged offender now before the courts;
- We will identify the methods, capability and connections of these alleged offenders to determine who the alleged offenders communicated with leading up to the attack; and
- We will use this information to cast a wider net to identify others - who may not be directly linked to this investigation - but should be under the attention of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
At the recent INTERPOL General Assembly, I spoke to Police Commissioners about antisemitism and how to fight this sickening scourge that eats at our country like a cancer.
I will ensure we have pulled ever single lever we can to protect our Jewish community - and this week I revealed those described as hate preachers are being investigated and have been for some time by the AFP.
It is clear some of these preachers have hired lawyers to ensure they do not reach the threshold to be charged for hate speech and other crimes.
It is clear some of these preachers know exactly what they are doing - and are clearly trying to cause fear and division.
The announcement this week to lower the threshold for hate speech will give the AFP greater scope to deter and charge individuals who are injecting and directing poisonous language towards the Jewish community.
Operation Avalite, which is now wrapped into our expanded National Security Investigations Teams, continues to monitor the language used by these preachers and we do not rule out charges under the current legislation.
Since the commencement of Operation Avalite 12 months ago, our teams have received crucial training in antisemitism, which has helped us in our investigations. This training is ongoing and will be a key feature of our expanded National Security Investigations teams.
In addition, our Community Liaison Teams continue to engage with the Jewish community to understand their perspectives and feelings, and to offer reassurance of our commitment to their safety and security.
I want to thank senior Jewish leaders for their time whenever we have requested it. They have been generous and I personally want to thank them for the guidance they have provided me.
Thank you
