arson Archives – J-Wire

Police name man of interest after Chanukah car arson attack in St Kilda

Rob Klein — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:20:29 +0000

Victorian Police have publicly identified 47-year-old John Argento as a person they believe may be able to assist with their investigation into a targeted arson attack on a vehicle displaying a Chanukah message in Melbourne’s inner south-east. Detectives from the Moorabbin Crime Investigation Unit have urged Argento to contact Victoria Police as soon as possible, […]

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Lookout avoids jail for role in Woollahra hate crime spree

Rob Klein — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:11:54 +0000

A Sydney court has heard the real reason behind 21-year-old Thomas Stojanovski’s participation in a spree of antisemitic vandalism and arson that shocked Sydney’s eastern suburbs. On Tuesday 25 November, Sutherland Local Court heard that Stojanovski, who avoided jail time, joined the late-night rampage not out of hate but because he was offered $1,000 to […]

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Melbourne synagogue arsonist motivated by mental illness, judge rules

JNS — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:53:30 +0000

A judge ruled on Monday that the man who set fire to a Melbourne synagogue while worshippers were inside was motivated by mental illness, not antisemitism. The ruling follows a wave of antisemitic attacks that have roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, including the firebombings of synagogues and a […]

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Jewish group calls for arson accused to be refused bail

AAP — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 06:35:23 +0000

A man charged over a synagogue arson that caused more than $20 million in damage has made a bid for freedom, almost a year after the blaze. A Jewish congregation has urged a magistrate to keep an accused synagogue arsonist behind bars, telling the court they were still traumatised by the attack. Giovanni Laulu, 21, […]

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Arson at Ryvchin former home confirmed as deliberate strike

Rob Klein — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 04:44:40 +0000

Police have today released CCTV footage as investigations continue into the targeted attack at a Dover Heights home, which officers have confirmed was a deliberate and specific act aimed at former resident Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. At about 3.45am on Friday, 17 January, officers from the Eastern Suburbs […]

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Second man charged over Adass Israel Synagogue arson attack

Rob Klein — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:52:54 +0000

A 20-year-old Meadow Heights man has been charged over the alleged arson attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue in December 2024. The man was arrested today by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. He has been charged with criminal […]

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Accused synagogue firebomber faces court for first time

AAP — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:20:39 +0000

A man charged with a “politically motivated” arson attack on a synagogue has faced court for the first time, as investigators continue to comb through piles of evidence. Giovanni Laulu faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday when he did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody. The 21-year-old Werribee man has been charged […]

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Police search for accused synagogue arsonist’s motive

AAP — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:16:52 +0000

An accused synagogue fire bomber has faced court as prosecutors search electronic devices for a motive behind the alleged arson. Police are searching devices seized from a man accused of setting fire to a synagogue to find his motive for the alleged attack. Angelo Loras, 34, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday after being charged […]

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Burning questions: what really happened at Taybeh’s church?

TPS-IL — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:55:25 +0000

An independent investigation by The Press Service of Israel has uncovered critical inconsistencies in claims that radical Israelis deliberately set fire to a 1,500-year-old church in the Palestinian village of Taybeh. Contrary to the widely reported accusation, TPS-IL found evidence of firefighting efforts by local Jewish residents and raised serious doubts about the fire’s origin […]

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Adass Israel synagogue firebombing – fresh lead

Rob Klein — Thu, 15 May 2025 07:25:40 +0000

A stolen blue car may hold the key to solving several high-profile alleged crimes, including an alleged “politically motivated” synagogue firebombing and other arsons and shootings. Almost six months on, authorities have released chilling CCTV footage and further information as part of a renewed push to identify the suspects and piece together the broader network […]

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